


There's a Time and a Place For What You Can Do, You Just Need To Learn When and Where That Is

by renegadeartist



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: X-Men AU - Freeform, mutants n shit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-29
Updated: 2014-07-01
Packaged: 2018-01-26 23:59:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 29,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1707326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/renegadeartist/pseuds/renegadeartist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No one really knows for sure when they have the mutation. Sometimes it's just a passing feeling or paranoia taking over. Sometimes it's too apparent to ignore. A kid growing up with something like an uncontrollable teleportation or the ability to manipulate fire would be reasonably confused and terrified, as would anyone they associate themselves with.</p><p>Unless they associate themselves with the right people. </p><p>But just who are the right people?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Seeing the Future is a Bitch

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: vauge mentions of vomit

He woke to the sound of rain. Maybe sleeping at a bus stop was a smart idea after all. At least no one had come to kick him out. Then he’d have to find a new place to sleep. The hoodie under his head was wrinkled and he briefly considered getting another one just because he had no way to iron it, much less the money to wash it. But then again he wasn’t sure if he was ready to start stealing yet.

 

He pulled the hoodie over his head and stretched, feeling terrible from sleeping on a hard bench all night. But he had to start moving or else some policeman would come and kick him out or send him to a juvenile delinquent center.

 

The streets were empty except for a few parked cars on the side of the road. Anyone who dared walk in this type of weather were grumbling and berating themselves about how stupid they must be to not check the weather and bring an umbrella or something. His worn sneakers hit the ground and sprung back up, keeping him moving. He would have to get something to eat soon.

 

There was one place he knew about, a worn out diner not too far from where he slept the night before. He didn’t have the money for a proper meal so it would probably end up being a hamburger and water. The rain had started to come down in sheets by the time he found his way to the diner. It didn’t even have a sign in the broken asphalt parking lot.

 

There were black and white tiles on the floor and an empty booth that he slid into. There were more people in the diner then normal. They had probably been driven in by the rain. It took a while for a waitress of any kind to show up, and when they did it took long for him to even get the glass of water he asked for.

 

In the period between he scanned over all the people in the diner, seeing a business man who never spent enough time with his family, a woman who worked too hard and lived on minimum wage and made it work, and a scrawny kid fiddling with a camera. He was normal, as far as he could tell. His hair was a mess, and the rain had done nothing to dampen it. The kid looked well off, or at least well enough off. Not as bad as he was, that much was clear.

 

The only problem was the only thing he could tell about the kid was from what he saw, not what he _saw._ He even took off his glasses at one point, but it got too noisy too fast so they were quick to return. And even then he couldn’t see anything about him. Everyone else in the diner had their history and thoughts written on their chests. But the kid with the camera didn’t.

 

He decided not to dwell on it too much. It wasn’t that disturbing that he couldn’t read anything off of the kid, but it unnerved him only slightly. When his food came, the cheapest thing on the menu, he chomped down on it and tried to forget about the kid. But it was hard when he was constantly snapping pictures of everyone and everything.

 

The sound was getting annoying and he just wanted to mess with him, just a little. In the way he couldn’t mess with him when he read people. Closing his eyes his hand found its way to the edge of the table. To anyone looking it would have been a normal thing, a kid dozing off at a booth in the diner on the weekend. There was nothing strange about that.

 

But soon the clicking stopped, and the kid was shaking the camera, trying to figure out what had happened to make it stop performing its primary function. He only smiled a bit, and laughed to himself. Only when the camera was turned towards him did it right itself, the flash going off and extracting a bird-like shriek from the kid.

 

He took a bite of the hamburger that had come sometime when he was harassing the local youth and giggling to himself. It was almost as bad as laughing at his own joke. The kid apparently noticed his silent laughter because he slid into the seat across from him. “What was that for?”

 

He swallowed his laughter and his bite of hamburger. “What was what?”

 

To be honest he kind of expected the kid to get mad, or to start reprimanding him or whatever it was pissed off kids did to the person responsible, which was him. “Eh, never mind. Not really worth it to be honest.” The kid seemed to be talking to himself but at the same time adding him to the conversation as well.

 

“Alright then,” he just shrugged, finishing up his meal. Or, rather, what he could afford for a meal. He dug out some crumbled and torn bills from his pocket, counting it up and making sure nothing but the bare minimum was left on the table.

 

He left the diner, exiting into a humid and damp outside. The kid followed him out, the camera bouncing around his neck from a thick piece of fabric. “I’m Gavin. What about you?”

 

“What no last name?” He asked, glancing back at the kid following him. Why was he following him again? “And why are you following me?”

 

He just shrugged. “To answer your first question, I don’t think you care enough for a last name, and the second one I don’t know. It just feels like what I need to do.”

 

“Okay then…” This kid was a bit creepy. “I’m Ray I guess.”

 

“Nice name!” Why was he so chipper? He almost got blinded.

-.-

He walked on a path. There was nothing there except a dense fog that permeated every corner of the world. He couldn’t see too far in front of him. All he could hear were the crackle of leaves as he stepped on them and the occasional snap of a twig. There were other things he heard under his feet, but he didn’t dare look down to see what it was. He thought that maybe there were trees on the side of the road, but he didn’t want to check.

 

There were shapes moving out there that he couldn’t see.

 

The crackling and breaking stopped under his feet and it was just a road. A cracked asphalt road spread in front of him. There was no sound, and the fog was too thick. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t focus on anything. There was nothing to focus on.

 

He started to panic.

 

A cold tendril of fear laced itself around his neck, making it even harder to breathe. But there was someone in front of him. They weren’t there before, were they? They turned around, and though he couldn’t see their face he knew they looked scared and angry and confused all at the same time.

 

All he knew was there was something cold pulling him back. It was all dark and cold and he couldn’t breathe. He planted his feet in the ground and struggled with everything he could. But it wasn’t enough. The road disappeared and there was only darkness.

 

Then there was a light, and the person he had seen before was charging at him, glowing in the light of the fire that surrounded him.

 

He sat up in his bed with a gasp.

 

What a strange dream, was his first thought. His second was that he really needed to get to the bathroom because he was going to throw up. It was way too late for him to be up. Not that it mattered anyways. He had nothing to do tomorrow. He could afford a little time awake.

 

He hadn’t realized he’d woken anyone when there was a knock on the door. It scared him so bad he almost dropped the cup he was drinking tap water from to wash the terrible taste of vomit from his mouth. He only spilled it a little. “Ryan, is everything alright?” His mother’s voice asked.

 

“Y-yeah,” was the only reply he could manage. He breathed deeply and spoke again, this time in a steadier voice. “I just ate some bad pasta at dinner. Sorry if I worried you.”

 

His mom sounded hesitant to leave, but she let him off the hook. “Alright, if you’re sure.”

 

“I am mom, promise.”

 

“Alright… but Ryan?”

 

“Yeah?” he didn’t like the sound of her voice. This couldn’t be going anywhere good.

 

“Is this about those dreams you’ve been having?”

 

“No, it’s not. You know I haven’t had those in forever.” He had one every night but he wasn’t about to tell his mom that. She had enough trouble as it was.

 

“Well… alright.” She needed to get a larger vocabulary then alright. But he couldn’t blame her. After a long day at work she barely had enough energy to collapse in bed. “But Ryan, it’s the summer. It’s almost over too. You should be out with friends. You know, I saw two boys your age at the diner today. Maybe they would make good friends.” There was a pause, where she expected him to answer. But he didn’t. He couldn’t breathe again. “Just think about it. Goodnight, sweetie.”

 

The tendrils were back, twisting around his neck. He blinked several times and they were gone, and he had to remind himself how to breathe again. He got out of the bathroom and collapsed back into his bed. It went _fwoumf_ and he dragged his sketchbook and charcoal pencil to him. He started sketching. A man on fire, an empty road, and black tendrils all filled the pages.

 

He flipped the book closed when he was done and stared at the pictures adorning the walls for a moment. They were all of the dreams he had. There was fire and metal and tendrils and smoke. There were explosions that never actually caused him damage and things that teleported around him randomly.

 

He sighed. Someday he would know what it meant. But today was not that day. He closed his eyes and put his mind to rest, eventually drifting to sleep.

-.-

He was walking the next day. It wasn’t as rainy as it had been the day prior, but there were clouds hanging over everyone’s heads, both physically and metaphorically. Not many people were happy today. Maybe they could tell something was going to happen. He certainly could.

 

There was a distinct nervousness he was sure everyone could see on his face but he did his best to hide it. This wasn’t the time or the place. He was just walking, waiting for something to happen. He knew something had to happen. He just didn’t know what.

 

The answer came when he almost bumped into someone leaning over and taking a picture of something. The kid had messy hair and rumpled clothes. “What’re you taking a picture of?” He knelt down to get a better look at what the subject was.

 

“A cat,” he said dismissively. He didn’t seem to have any qualms about a strange kid coming up to him and asking about his business.

 

The cat was only a little kitten, with not much color on it besides brown and white. It _mew_ ed softly. He reached down to pet the kitten, only to have it suddenly turn feral, bare its small teeth and hiss loudly, promptly darting off. Taken aback slightly he withdrew his hand and rubbed it. “Did I do something wrong?”

 

“I don’t know.” The kid looked concerned. “Egg’s never done something like that before.” He shrugged. “Oh well. I’m Gavin, nice to meet you.”

 

He started a bit at the swing in personality and the outstretched hand. He took it and shook it unsteadily. He felt like he’d met Gavin somewhere before. “I’m Ryan.”

 

“Well then Ryan!” He began, springing up and marching along. “Come on, I’ve got someone for you to meet.”

 

“W-what? You literally just met me.”

 

“And you just met me, but you’re following me anyways. I’d say there’s some mutual trust already.”

 

Gavin was weirding him out a bit, but he did have a point. He followed, though not without some caution. He led them to a bus stop, not too far from where the cat had been. There was another kid sitting on the bench, apparently sleeping. “RAY!” Gavin yelled loudly.

 

Ray jerked up and Ryan felt his clothes stick to him a bit more with static electricity. He tugged at the fabric uncomfortably. Ray looked a bit panicked but calmed down a bit when he saw it was only Gavin. They must have been long time friends. But why was this kid sleeping in a bus stop? “Oh. Hey Vav.”

 

“Good morning X-ray.” They even had cute nicknames for each other. Great.


	2. Please Don't Set Something On Fire

By the time he was done with the training room the emergency sprinklers on the ceiling had already been raining down water for some time. It was a great way to practice and it helped to not set the whole building on fire. The practice dummies were charred a bit though. He hoped they had a few more, he wasn’t quite done yet.

 

But for now he could be. He was getting tired, and it was almost lunchtime anyways. He grabbed his bag and shut off the sprinklers, making certain he hadn’t left anything still on fire. With that out of the way he wandered out of the training room and to the cafeteria.

 

It was big and crowded yet still perfectly clean. There were students sitting in their group of friends and some who were just alone. There was probably a reason for them being alone, like a mutation that made it hard to find friends or they just didn’t want any. It wasn’t his place to get into their business. He just walked past, getting into line for whatever it was they were serving today.

 

The place at the back of the line was quickly filled up and he ended up being squished between two people who were too tall for his liking. He expected to have a peaceful time in line, but apparently his friends had other ideas. Jack came over and practically rammed into him, making it seem like an accident. But he knew enough about him to know he had coated the shoulder he had bumped into him with metal. What a dick.

 

Geoff sauntered up after, cutting him and causing the people behind him to grumble. But they wouldn’t dare tell Geoff to back off. It wouldn’t do much good, anyways. “Hey there Michael.”

 

“Hi Geoff. What do you want today?” He grumbled, knowing there was a reason he had come directly to Michael the instant they came into the cafeteria.

 

“Nothing now. You need to eat, obviously. I’m not a dick, I won’t have you skipping meals just because you have a mission.” Even though Geoff seemed like the definition of asshole he had overpowering fatherly tendencies. He would never let Michael go into the training rooms without making sure the sprinklers were working and he never let any of his friends skip a meal. But then what he just said slammed into him.

 

“W-wait, Geoff, are you shitting me?” Geoff’s signature laugh erupted from his throat and he practiacally doubled over from it. Goddamn it, Geoff. “Geoff! We have a mission?”

 

Jack shook his head and answered for the empath. “Yeah, we got a mission. We’re finding some other mutants. Three, all in the same place too. It shouldn’t be too hard.”

 

“Where are they?”

 

“Somewhere near New York, so we’ll have to fly. You don’t have a problem with that, do you?”

 

Michael quickly shook his head. Oh man, they finally trusted him enough to go on a mission. It was about time. He’d been at the school almost his whole life. “No, no. Jack, holy shit, I’m pumped. When do we leave?”

 

“Well, considering the fact that we have to fly from Austin to New York, we leave tomorrow. The sooner the better, as Burnie says.”

 

“I’ve never heard him say that,” Geoff interjected, apparently recovered from his laughter. “But yeah, we should be good. I’m old enough to act as your chaperone, and Jack’s big enough to not warrant any attention.”

 

“Alright. Now can you get out of the line unless you’re getting something to eat?” Jack chuckled a bit and dragged Geoff away. For him being the only legal adult in their group he was sure childish.

 

When they were out of view he cheered quietly to himself. Holy shit, holy fuck, they were on a mission. They were going to get students; they were going to New York! They were leaving the school for what felt like the first time in forever. He grabbed his tray of food and sat down where Geoff and Jack were still talking about it fervently.

 

“Dude, why did they choose you, though?” Geoff wondered aloud, and Jack looked a bit offended. “I mean, you do have a shitton of metal on you, right? Don’t you have to go through a metal detector or something?”

 

“I can take it off, just not for long. I can handle it.” Jack replied dismissively, taking off the brace he had around his arm then promptly slipping it back on.

 

“Hey, have you seen Lindsay?” Michael asked as he found a seat close enough to the other guys. He hadn’t seen her all day, and he was starting to get worried.

 

“Yeah, she’s hanging out in the gardens. I think something happened, but she wouldn’t tell us anything. Not even _me._ I could tell she was really, and I mean _really,_ upset. _”_ Geoff seemed a little offended. To be honest Michael wasn’t sure he’d tell him either. He worried about things that had nothing to do with him too much.

 

He almost got up and went to check on her right then, but Geoff grabbed his arm. “Oh, no you fucking don’t. You know what happens when you skip meals.” He sunk down and started eating his lunch. As much as he hated to admit it, Geoff was right. But he was going to go find her as soon as he was done, and damn Geoff if he stopped him.

-.-

The school day was dragging out way too long. He wished he hadn’t squandered his whole summer doing nothing but worry about the dreams he had been having. At least he had some friends now. Gavin and Ray. Though no one really talked to either of them and only Gavin went to the school. He hoped Ray was doing better than he had been. Apparently he had agreed to try to get a job so he wouldn’t have to sleep on the street.

 

He almost had enough money for a month’s worth of rent that he could sneak him, though it was more the matter of if he would take it. He was weird that way. But he probably wouldn’t have taken any charity either. He tried to focus on the class but it just wasn’t working. He decided to doodle his dream the night prior instead.

 

The dream had been strange, though not as enigmatic and terrifying as some of them were. There were just people in his house, talking to his parents. They had invited him to a school for the gifted, and he wasn’t sure why they would think him gifted, but he accepted anyway.

 

The dream had been weirdly specific, and he had no idea what that meant. It bothered him more than no knowing what the other dreams meant. For some reason this was more important. The bell rang, jarring him out of his thoughts.

 

He slung his backpack over his shoulder and collected all his supplies. They were stacked nicely in his arms and he was about to leave when he saw a kid staring at him from the other side of the room. He had dark hair and a plaid shirt. He had a neutral expression on his face, though he could tell it was a face made for smiling. “Dude, the bell just rang. Why’re you still there?”

 

He only kept staring, and Ryan shrugged. He walked out, leaving the kid behind, though he could still feel his eyes staring at his back. The halls were packed, as they always were and he had to muscle himself through the crowd of people spilling out the doors.

 

Outside he started to rush towards the bus that was waiting and belching pollutants into the air, but he stopped. He saw the same kid from the room standing there. How the hell had he gotten there before him? There was something not right about him. Ryan decided not to take the bus. He needed to get some exercise anyway.

 

When he got to his home, there was a car parked on the curb. The only problem was he didn’t know who it belonged to. Maybe it was someone his dad knew from work or even his mom, though that was unlikely. He walked to the door and pushed it open quietly, not wanting to disturb his parents if they were in a meeting.

 

They were, though the people they were talking to were way too young. And they seemed familiar, though he was certain he had never seen anyone like them before. The one talking looked the oldest, a dude with dark hair and heavily lidded eyes. He seemed like he was perpetually done with the world. Ryan could relate.

                        

There were two others, though they seemed to just be there for decoration. “It’s a full ride scholarship, and the school will pay for travel and all the regular needs of teenagers his age.” The oldest said. He stopped for a second. This was what his dream was about last night.

 

“Would we be able to visit?” His dad asked, and his mom asked her question at almost the exact same time.

 

“Will he be safe?”

 

“Yeah, it’s the safest place I know, and yeah, you’ll be able to visit.”

 

They both relaxed a bit, though the same couldn’t be said for Ryan. He was wound up tightly. What did it mean? It was literally the same thing from his dream. There was a deep dread in his chest. What did it mean? If it was really his dream, then he knew what came next. What did it mean? He pinched himself. Nope, he was awake. Damn.

 

“Hey, dude,” the youngest of the group of strangers said. He had the kind of eyes that you avoided on the streets. What kind of school was this? Ryan jumped, dropping his things and trying to act like he hadn’t had the shit scared out of him.

 

“Oh!” His mom jumped up. “Ryan, I didn’t realize you were home! Come and meet these fine people. They’re inviting you to a school for, um, what was it you said?”

 

“Gifted kids,” the dude who seemed to be in charge replied, getting up and shaking Ryan’s hand. “My name is Geoff.” He didn’t know what he felt about the dude forcibly shaking his hand, but a question did pop up in his mind.

 

“But the school year just started.”

 

“The academy starts later in the year.” He could tell when someone was lying, and Geoff was doing it through his teeth. He glanced back at his parents. They were considering it. They would probably take it. He would have to leave his friends and his life behind. But was that really a bad thing? Sure, Gavin and Ray would probably be devastated, but if his parents didn’t have to pay for him to go to school it would be amazing for them. They would be able to live a more comfortable life with him gone.

 

“Do I have a say in it?”

 

“It’s your choice. Your parents have given the ok, so it’s only you left. Though, I would like to talk to you in private about the academy.” He glanced back at his parents. “Would you mind if we discussed it with your son alone?”

 

“Certainly not,” his dad said.

 

“Would you like any refreshments?” His mom asked.

 

“No, we’ll be fine.” His parents left him alone in a room with three strangers. This could only end well. “So,” Geoff began.

 

“So,” Ryan replied, sitting stiffly on the chair opposite the three representatives from the academy.

 

“Alright, I’m just gonna get right into it,” he finally said, breaking the tension. This was probably his first time ever doing this, so Ryan would cut him some slack. “You’re a mutant, I’m a mutant, and those assholes are too. The academy is for people like us, and you. It's supposed to help you wrangle in your abilities and protect you.”

 

Ryan chuckled nervously. This was a joke, he should have known. No one would want him in any school. But they weren’t smiling, and he got the impression they were telling the truth. Great. “You’re joking, right?”

 

“No.” Geoff said flatly. “Michael, can you demonstrate for him? Try not to burn the house down.”

 

“Sure thing,” the kid with curly red hair and brown eyes said, suddenly animated and excited. He stuck his arm out and it promptly burst into flames.


	3. Don't Be Scared of What You Are, Especially When People Are Offering to Help You

The next day he was packed and ready to go. It didn’t take long for them to wrap it all up and get him ready for a flight. His parents were ecstatic. They were glad someone wanted him, and that he would be in better hands then their own. It was kinda sad; considering they tried their hardest to make sure he never had to worry about anything they did.

 

He had been all ready to go, to leave and stop saying goodbye constantly to his parents, but according to them there were two other… mutants in the area. Michael’s demonstration had been enough to prove that they were legitimate, but it failed to tell him why they sought _him_ out. He didn’t have any weird powers. He was just some kid in a town that they thought was special for some reason.

 

He remembered asking the same question. “But I can’t do anything like that. I’m nothing special.” Michael and Geoff had backed up, allowing the person they had introduced as Jack to talk to him. From his appearance he didn’t seem like the sort to be the smooth talker of the group, but apparently he was.

 

“Listen. A lot of young mutants say the same thing. Sometimes it’s too hard to notice, or to pinpoint. But there’s no doubt that you are one. Whether you have some outrageous power or not doesn’t change what you are. Maybe you’ve just never had the opportunity to use it, or the need for it has never come up. There’ve been kids in the school that only figured it out a month in. Don’t worry if you don’t have any powers and just trust that we know what we’re doing.”

 

It made sense to Ryan, but the worry that they were wrong lingered in the back of his mind. What would happen if he _wasn’t_ special? Would they leave him on the side of the road to die, or lock him up so he wouldn’t tell anyone about them? As far as he was concerned, he was nothing special. But maybe Jack was right. Maybe the opportunity would come up.

 

It was worth a shot. Barring his few friends there wasn’t much for him where he lived. It was boring and he wanted to go somewhere else. It had been a dream of his for as long as he could remember. To travel somewhere where the roads weren’t cracked and the people were new. But if it turned out they were wrong about him? He wasn’t quite sure what would happen.

 

He shoved everything he had into a bag. It overflowed with pieces of paper that kept smudging if he wasn’t careful and clothes that he probably wouldn’t wear. He grabbed the little toy cow he had kept since his mom had given it to him for his fifth birthday. He wasn’t sure why he kept it, he just did. Oh well, it wasn’t like he was going to just throw it away now. It held too many memories now.

 

With everything packed he zipped up the duffle bag and decided to go for a walk. It would be one of his last for quite some time if he ended up going to the school. It was cold outside, but he didn’t mind it all that much. It was always cold. He knew walking would stave off the cold long enough for a semi-pleasant walk.

 

He passed all the regular stores and restaurants, the same houses he knew from his childhood that used to hold friends that had moved away and some that had just stopped talking to him. He wondered how the ones that managed to escape were doing, far away from the depressing life he was living. There was a noticeable spring in his step when he realized that he was going to be one of those people soon, off to a more exciting life around extraordinary people.

 

There weren’t many other people out, besides a weird guy who seemed to be talking rather adamantly into the phone. He was dressed casually. It must have been something at home. Or maybe he was arguing with a girlfriend or wife. Poor guy. He considered asking what was wrong before he realized that idea was dumb as fuck and he most certainly _should not_ try to get into a frustrated man’s business. It didn’t matter anyways.

 

He passed Gavin’s home, a feeling of guilt sweeping over him. Maybe it was a bad idea. He would be leaving the few friends he had. Sure, he might make new ones. But at the same time he might not. What would Gavin say? What would Ray say? Would they even care? Probably not. He wasn’t the most interesting person, after all.

 

The houses blurred together and he just walked wherever his legs took him. There was the playground he remembered from when he was too young to understand that there were things outside of the place he lived that he should be hoping to go someday. But he still worried about what was going to happen. A school for freaks, for weirdos and mutants. He would fit in just fine, even if he didn't have any powers.

 

He was wrenched out of his self-pity by seeing the same car he had seen earlier parked right outside of the Free household.

-.-

He woke up to sunlight piercing through his curtains and voices downstairs. It wouldn’t have been too worrisome, had he recognized half of the voices. In his freshly woken state of mind he practically fell out of bed and into the adjoining bathroom. His heart was beating a hundred times a minute and he had to make sure he was presentable.

 

There was his usual attire for when guests were over. A pinching dress shirt that pushed on his back and made it ache, tight shoes, and pants he wished came up a little more than they did. But maybe that was just his nerves getting to him. There was a call from downstairs and he knew he had to go, even though he wished he could just curl up under his blankets and forget about it. But he didn’t because he would rather face strangers then his parent’s anger.

 

The stairs creaked more then he would have liked and the wood under his feet seemed too slippery. He found his parents and the strangers in the parlor, which was never used unless there was company over. They were less then professional, and they looked way too young. One of them was even his age, and he couldn’t help but feel like they were there to help. The younger one especially.

 

“Ah, there he is!” His father proclaimed, getting up and sweeping him into a tight embrace. It was uncomfortable and it hurt his back. His father retracted quickly, and rested his hand on his shoulder were he wasn’t hesitant to touch. “Son, meet these, um, _fine_ people. They’re here to offer you a scholarship. Isn’t that _great,_ son?”

 

The grip tightened and he put on a smile, though the man that had been talking to his mother looked unconvinced of its novelty. His father guided him over to sit on the pristine white couch and he tried to look comfortable in his own house. It wasn’t working. “Hello, I’m Gavin.”

 

“Hi, I’m Geoffrey Ramsey, and these are my associates.” From what Gavin could tell Geoff was used to a more informal way of speaking, but he was doing his best to act like a preppy school teacher, or something akin to it. There was a slight flash in the man’s eyes, something like confusion; like he couldn’t see something in Gavin that he was positive should be there. It made him uncomfortable, and he shifted a bit on the couch.

 

“And why are you only coming to us now?” His father asked, finding his way to his usual place in meetings. He made it clear that this was his house and he was in charge in every way and if they stepped one toe out of line he would haul them away to jail. His father was nothing if not intimidating.

 

“Well,” Geoff began slowly. He could practically see the gears rapidly spinning in his mind. “You see, there is a specific way they do things at the academy, one of which that messes with the time we are able to enroll the students and transport them back to the school.”

 

“And you say it is a full scholarship?” His mother interjected.

 

“Yes. Everything your son needs will be provided.”

 

“Ah, yes, well, the thing is our son has a certain… _condition.”_ Gavin wondered what excuse his father would come up with this time.

 

“And what would that be?”

 

“He experiences intense pain from his back; the doctors say it has something to do with his spine.”

 

“I see.” The two others looked exceedingly bored. But they looked at him with interest after his father spilled the beans about his condition, even if it wasn’t completely truthful. He didn’t like how they looked at him, though. It wasn’t like the doctors had when they first saw what was causing so much trouble, it was closer to pity. “Well, I can assure you we have only the best medical personnel at the school, and your son will be taken care of, no matter what condition he may have.”

 

The declaration did nothing to ease away his anxiety. Like they knew what kind of condition it was. They didn’t have extra limbs sprouting from their backs. They didn’t receive a rude awakening at ten and constricting clothes specifically made to hide what he was just a week later. They worked fast, and why shouldn’t they? They couldn’t have a son who was a freak.

 

“Now, if you don’t mind, we would like to have a word with your son. Michael, if you would, could you give them the paperwork for them to look over?” The younger one pulled some papers out of a bag he was holding and handed them to his parents. They left, though a bit warily.

 

Once they were gone they all dropped the stiffed shouldered professional look and settled into a look that they were more comfortable with. Geoff smiled at him, trying to seem as non-threatening as possible. “So. That’s Michael, the big guy is Jack.” There was a pause. “Back problems, huh?”

 

“Y-yeah. What about it? Aren’t you going to ask me about the school and weather I want to go there or not?” He got the feeling he would be going to the school regardless of what he said.

 

Geoff leaned forward in his chair. “Look. We know you’re different, and we understand that you’re probably scared shitless because of it-“

 

“Probably?” Michael hissed. “What do you mean ‘probably’?”

 

“But you don’t have to hide it.” He continued, ignoring the interruption. “The academy is a place for people like you, where you can embrace who you are.”

 

“You say that like you get it. I bet you’ve never had to hide anything like I have.” He didn’t feel like being cordial. They had the audacity to walk in and act like they knew. They may have been like him, whatever he was, but they never had to go through what he did.

 

“Look,” Michael interrupted, “I really don’t give a shit what your childhood was like. I bet you’ve never had to deal with the knowledge that you caused a whole lot of shit for a whole lot of people because you had a power stronger then you could control. The point is, we’re offering you a place to stay, a place to live freely and learn about yourself and people like you.”

 

He gulped and breathed in. He let out a question he had been wondering since the wings first showed up. “And just what am I?”

 

“You’re a mutant. And you’re gonna meet a helluva lot more than just us.”


	4. Pay Attention To Where You're Going

He wasn’t expecting anything to come out of the day. It was his day to do nothing. He managed to go to school most of the time, but it wasn’t like he wanted to. Today was one of the days he just ignored his responsibilities. He didn't have much of a reason to go in the first place. He was too far behind in his classes at school that he never saw Ryan or Gavin. They were just too smart for him to ever see them in his low level courses.

 

He was just walking, like he knew Ryan was partial to do. He could understand it, just walking with nowhere to go, making use of your time without having to actually do much. It made him feel like he had a purpose and wasn't just a bum on the side of the road. And, as much as he hated to admit it, the town was starting to grow on him, though he knew it would become tiring just as quickly. It probably had something to do with him actually managing to make friends this time around. But for now he would stay. He would have to, if he actually managed to get a job and a steady income.

 

A group of people walked up to him, and he stiffened. He didn't need awkward questions asked or cops to throw him in some kind of jail, though for what he had no idea. He hadn't done anything worthy of the authority's attention and he looked like a kid taking a walk. A quick look over them revealed they meant him no harm, but quite the opposite. They were from a school, a place for people like him. And people like them, apparently. They were all mutants, as they called it. He could get behind being called that. It had a nice ring to it.

 

“Hey,” the one named Geoff said, trying to sound neutral. “Do you happen to know where the Haywood’s house is?”

 

“Yeah, it’s down that way,” he pointed to the familiar building. “But before you go, Gavin’s house is over there,” he pointed towards the way they had come. “And to make your hunt even easier, I’m probably the last one you’re looking for. Name’s Ray, nice to meet you.”

 

They looked startled for a second. It was probably the most tame reaction he'd ever seen. Randomly knowing virtually everything about a person wasn't usually taken well. Geoff was the first to recover. “So you’re a mutant too then?”

 

“Yeah, I guess you could call it that. Not as cool as hothead over there, but beggars can’t be choosers.”

 

Michael let out an indignant “HEY!”

 

“So I guess I’ll see you guys at the airport tomorrow then?”

 

Geoff nodded, and they wound their way around the stationary cars in the street to Ryan’s house. He was glad they accepted him without question. They were probably desperate to get out of the town and back to Austin. Ray kept walking, but this time he had a set destination. He would have to go see Gavin before they did. He was too flighty to take a surprise meeting well.

 

Unfortunately his parents didn’t like him, and they very politely told him to fuck off. With warning Gavin out of the picture he decided to people watch for a while. It was one way to kill time before tomorrow. Maybe he would stop at the diner one last time too.

-.-

The airport was crowded. It was too crowded for his liking. He could feel the apprehension and every so often the crippling fear of flying throughout the entire building. It wasn’t any easier going back as it had been catching the flight to New York, but this time he had a better idea on how to handle it. Focus on the people in the group, keep them safe, and don’t let yourself influence others. You never knew if there was another telepath in the vicinity. 

 

For the most part the new recruits were fine, they could be trusted, and he was sure they would enjoy the school. Ryan had regrets, but they fell away when he realized his friends were there with him. Though he still had the lingering worry that maybe he didn’t belong, maybe there had been a mistake. He wasn’t the one to talk to about different powers. That was Matt or Patrick. But there was no doubt that he had the gene, every telepath and tracker at the school had confirmed it.

 

Gavin still hadn’t mustered up the courage to show them his mutation, though it was more obvious he had one. From what he could gather it had something to do with his back, so probably wings or a tail, something animal centered. They tended to have the most obvious mutations. There were a few at the school, maybe he would get along well with them. But maybe he would just stick with the people he knew.

 

Ray was different. He didn’t have a problem with showing off his powers, though he was still unsure of what exactly his powers _were_. Apparently he had some form of telepathy, but there was also the fact that he could apparently manipulate things in small scale. He wasn’t sure what that meant, but it was a power rich for enhancing.

 

“So,” Ryan came striding up to him. He could tell that he had worry boiling about in his chest. About what he couldn’t tell. That wasn’t his area of finesse. Sometimes it got on his nerves, how he only knew what someone was feeling, not why. Good thing he didn't really care half the time. “You guys are a team?”

 

“We like to think of ourselves like that, yeah." He hadn't really thought of them as anything but a group of friends. Team was a better term, he supposed. "Why?”

 

“I was just wondering.” He got quiet for a while. They passed through the security checks with minimal trouble, and there was only one instance of upset. It was just after the metal detector, when Ryan jumped and started showing all the signs of panic. That couldn't be good.

 

“What’s wrong?” He was quick to pull him aside. It wouldn’t do for one of his wards to have a panic attack. The panic was slowly subsiding and he nudged it away, just to make it easier for him to talk. It was useful being an empath sometimes. 

 

“Don’t worry about it.” Ryan wasn’t panicking, but he was still worried.

 

“Don’t give me that shit, dude. I know something’s wrong. What is it?” He was used to stubborn people. It was becoming increasingly evident that Ryan was one of those people.

 

“It’s dumb.” He tried to get away, but he only put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a look that said he was prepared to stand there all day until he told him what was wrong. “It’s just… I keep seeing this same guy. He was in my class the day you guys came and at the bus stop and he’s here now. It’s probably nothing.”

 

Nervousness was bubbling up now. He was ready for the empath to tell him off for worrying about nothing. But in his life and experience, seeing the same person everywhere you go is never a good thing. It was rarely a good thing to see a person twice. He left Ryan to find Jack.

 

“We’re being followed.”

 

He jumped and adrenalin immediately rushed through his veins. He was ready to fight, even before Geoff said anything more. Sometimes he admired Jack for his quick response times. Other times it was just annoying. “Who is it?”

 

“I don’t know. Just keep your eyes open. Tell Michael, too.”

 

“What about the others?”

 

“We don’t need to scare them.”

-.-

“So, who’re we looking for again?”

 

“Kerry! Shut up, man.”

 

“What? It’s not my fault you let the people from the school get to them before you.” Kerry huffed, looking indignantly at his partner. "I need to know, anyways. How else am I gonna know what to look for?"

 

Miles grit his teeth, resisting the urge to slap Kerry across the face. This wasn’t the time to talk about his failures. They had to get going or they weren’t going to get a chance to get the new recruits. “We’re looking for a group of high schoolers, probably with a buncha older guys. You know, the ones from the school.”

 

“So we’re looking for a group of people who are exceedingly awkward in normal situations. Also a group of six.”

 

“Only if they stay together, if they split up it’ll probably be in groups of two or three.”

 

Kerry nodded. “So, do we know who we’re looking for?”

 

“Yeah. Scrawny, dark haired kid, goes by Ray Narvaez, tall, heavy set dude named Ryan Haywood, and a blond haired British kid named Gavin Free.”

 

“Great. That’ll help me spot them in a group.” Kerry said sarcastically, getting up from the table they had sat at and walked out of the overpriced airport restaurant. “Tell you if I find anyone. You have my number.”

-.-

“H-hey! Michael! Wait up!”

 

As much as he hated being the baby sitter he figured he could make the most of it. At least he didn’t get paired up with the creepy one or Ray. Pranking Ray wouldn’t have been nearly as funny, he thought as he pressed himself on the wall. Gavin wouldn’t see him from where he was standing.

 

“Michael? Where are you? I thought we were supposed to stick together-“ He let out a squawk similar to a bird when Michael threw his arm around his shoulder as he rounded the corner, being oblivious enough to not notice him. In between his laughter and Gavin’s pouting face made it almost impossible for him to talk for a time. “Alright, I get it. You got me. You can stop laughing now.”

 

He swallowed his mirth and put on a serious face that was as transparent as the Brit’s anger. “Sorry, couldn’t resist. Anyways, what was the gate we’re meeting the others at?”

 

He looked startled for a second. “You mean you don’t remember?”

 

“Um… maybe?”

 

If he hadn’t been his only companion Michael was sure Gavin would have left him right then and there. But as it was, he had no other option then to stick with him. Though Michael could tell he was worried they’d get lost. “Why did we even split up in the first place?”

 

“Because we were being followed.” Gavin looked petrified at that statement, and the American couldn’t blame him. It reminded him of the first time he had been out of the school, terrified of everything with a barely functioning handle on his powers. He would have to suck it up and get used to it. “That or Geoff was being paranoid.”

 

“I hope it’s just Geoff being paranoid.” He muttered. He didn't bother to mention that Geoff's paranoia had saved his ass many times over.

 

Michael couldn’t help but feel a bit of pity for the guy. He’d been wrenched from his family and was with a stranger in a place he wasn’t used to without any idea where they were going. Well, he might as well ease his mind a bit, even if he was lying about it. “Just so you know, we’re going to gate A30.”

 

That made Gavin groan, but he could tell it eased his mind to know where he was going. Well, at least the letter was true. He didn’t know the number, and that was going to be a problem. Hopefully Geoff would see them coming and flag them over. But then again Geoff was an asshole and would probably let them wander for an hour. “We have to walk all that way?”

 

“Yep. Get used to it.”

 

“So,” he began, not long after they’d settled the whole ‘we’re lost and I have only a vague idea where we’re going’ problem. “If we’re going to be together for a while we need a team name.”

 

Those almost made Michael stop in his tracks. He’d heard a lot of dumb things in his life, but Gavin had topped them all in the span of a day. “A team… name…”

 

“Yeah, I was thinking something like team nice dynamite.” Gavin obviously missed the sarcasm in his voice.

 

“Sure. Team nice dynamite. I like it.”


	5. Prying Into Other People's Life is Rude

"So..."

 

"What." It wasn't a question and he wasn't in the mood to have a lengthy or distracting conversation with the idiot. Maybe he should have taken Ray to protect. He probably wouldn't be as fucking annoying as Ryan was. But then again he had that whole telepathy thing going for him. That would probably lead to more than one awkward conversation, probably involving his past. Yeah, maybe Ryan wasn’t so bad.

 

"What kind of powers do you have?"

 

"That's kind of a personal question, don't you think?" He didn't really care, and there was only about a quarter of his concentration going into the conversation. The other three were going into protecting his ass from whoever might be following them, if anyone was actually following them, though with Ryan so at ease he was starting to doubt his story.

 

"I mean at least I didn't ask about your sex life or something."

 

Wow. His attention was completely ripped from his activity and focused on Ryan. He squinted at the innocent look on the man's face. "You're fucking weird dude."

 

"I mean you asked I answered." He was not having this conversation. There was no way in Hell. Absolutely none.

 

"I'm an empath."

 

"What?" Goddamn this kid.

 

"You asked me what I could do. I'm an empath."

 

"Oh yeah." He was going to strangle Ryan as soon as they got back to the school. "What about your friends? What can they do?"

 

He might end up strangling him even sooner. He really needed to let him do his job so they wouldn't have to cart him back home in a body bag. "Michael does some shit with fire. He controls it and creates it. It has something to do with elevated body temperature or something. Jack can manipulate metal, but only as much as he's in contact with. He has a brace on his arm so he always has some with him. It's some super strong metal, don't know what it's proper name is though."

 

"That's... actually really interesting."

 

"Look, dude. I have to concentrate. Do you want to fucking die?"

 

That was the end of all conversation.

-.-

"Jack?"

 

"Hmm?" He asked, distractedly. As far as he could tell there wasn't anyone following them. He could spare Ray a few minutes to talk. He had faith in his powers and his capability to protect them.

 

"I know this is kind of a personal question but..."

 

There was an awkward silence. He was waiting for the ok to ask. "It's fine. Just ask, I'll be fine, whatever it is." He had no doubt that it would be personal. According to Geoff his ability was some form of telepathy. As much as he hated being read the kid probably had almost no handle on his ability. He would have to tough out whatever he wanted to ask. That or just not answer.

 

"You sure?" He nodded. He shuffled a bit more, still looking like he already regretted something he hadn’t even said yet. "What happened to Caiti?"

 

He inhaled sharply. He should have expected that. What had he been expecting? Not that apparently. He blinked rapidly, trying to dispel the burning in his eyes. "I thought you were a telepath. Can't you just figure it out yourself?"

 

Ray shrugged. "I mean I can read a person, their past, their purpose, and their aspirations, things they would tell a friend. Sometimes there's more, but if they hold something close and prefer not to think about it or for others to know it's usually whited out or kept under some heavy red tape."

 

"Well it is something I prefer not to talk about."

 

He took the hint fast. "No problem. I get it. You don't have to answer; it was rude to even ask in the first place." Jack was glad he’d dropped it. It wouldn’t do to have a mental breakdown in front of the new recruit.

 

They didn't say much after that.

-.-

To him it seemed like a dumb idea to search a whole airport for a group of six people. There had to be at least 50, all going places for different reasons and having absolutely no connection with the group he was searching for. What was Miles even thinking? The shoddy descriptions he'd given weren't going to help at all. He'd already seen at least three people to match his descriptions, only to find that they were indeed not the person he was looking for. Oh well. They weren't going to go tattling any time soon. He still had some memory manipulation left over. He could make a few more mistakes but then he would have to resort to something a bit more unsavory.

 

Then he had an idea.

 

It was a stroke of genius really. He had to laugh out loud at his own amazingness. Was that even a word? It was now.

 

He would just go to the gates that were going to Austin in the next hour or so. They had to be going there. Where else would they go? It was where the school was located to the best of his knowledge. They had to be flying back there, and if not then he hoped Miles had some better idea or had actually found them. But he wouldn’t let him live it down, Mr. I-can-search-thirty-places-at-once. Brains were better than freaky mutations anyways, not that he wouldn’t take a mutation if one was offered.

 

After asking around and finally finding out which gate it was, he wound his way around the crowds of people and sat down in one of the uncomfortable chairs they seemed to always have at airports. Well, he'd only been to two, so he wasn't really one to judge. There were too many people in the area. None of which looked like the people he was searching for.  He hunkered down to wait, and his patience was rewarded almost immediately.

 

Two people walked into the area. They were looking for someone. Probably multiple someones, because the short one matched one of the descriptions Miles had given him. Snatching him from the care of one person would be troublesome, so he waited for more of the group to show up. If there _were_ more that showed up he'd know it was the right group. If not he would keep looking. He hoped they were the right people. He was getting tired of sitting there. He wanted some action, or at least for something to happen. Waiting wasn’t his forte.

 

Soon another pair showed and joined the first. Now he had two targets. The one Miles had described as tall and heavy set was standing next to the short one. Well, one was better than none, he supposed. He didn’t have the patience to wait for the next group of two and getting more than one person from the group would prove troublesome. Not that he couldn’t do it, but he preferred to have guaranteed success. Too bad Miles was the one to talk to about holding someone captive. He could get a person but they rarely stayed.

 

He got up and wandered over to them, acting as casual as possible. Now, what power would make this the easiest? Paralysis, increased strength, and invisibility. He snuck up behind the short one and grabbed his wrist, feeling it go stiff as the temporary paralysis took hold. None of the others noticed as he vanished and swung him onto his shoulder. He found his way to an unlocked supply room and dumped him down on a pile of sponges. It was a lame hiding place but it would have to do. He wasn't wasting any more invisibility on that prick.

 

He grabbed some rope from a shelf and tied his hands behind him. That should hold him when he woke up. In the meantime he had to make a call.

-.-

He woke up in a closet.

 

Really? A closet? His kidnapper couldn't do any better? Apparently not. He tried his hands. Yep. Rope. Amazing. He probably should have been panicking or something but he just couldn't do it in the shitty excuse for a kidnapping he'd been put in. He didn’t even tie his feet down. Just his arms. They must have had a lot of confidence in their abilities. The door cracked and a man came in, smiling when he saw that he was moving.

 

"Ah! You're awake!"

 

"No shit. I was just going to sleep this whole thing off, wake up in your evil lair and do your bidding for the rest of my days." He looked the man over. He looked like a kid. Pudgy face, pale hair, totally unthreatening. "Who the fuck are you, anyways?"

 

"I'm a mutant, like you."

 

He really should have expected that. Who else would kidnap a bum off the street? He didn’t really have anything worth his time. It was probably for the express reason that Geoff and the others had gotten to him first. They had really low standards, apparently. "Uhuh. What can you do then?"

 

"I... borrow... other mutant's powers."

 

He didn't like where this was going. People with powers that depended on taking things for others could go one of two ways. They would either be the sweetest people or corrupt beyond reason. He wasn’t sure what type this guy was. As far as he knew this weirdo was there to mug him of his powers and leave him on the runway. Great. "Cool I guess."

 

He looked put out at receiving a lackluster response. Eh, he wasn't one for flashy responses. Except when he was using his powers. It was too fun to watch other people's reactions. Maybe he would have put on more of a show if the guy had actually done something with his powers and not just stated what he could do. “Borrowing” powers had to have some perks with it. He wasn’t going to share them, though. "Aren't you going to ask why I kidnapped you?"

 

"It crossed my mind." His pout deepened. Wow. What a baby. He expected some kind of hardened criminal. All he got was some weird kid. Well, a hardened criminal would have gone for someone who wasn’t him, because who was he kidding? He wasn’t worth shit. "Fine. Why did you kidnap me?"

 

"To recruit you!"

 

He looked him dead in the eye. "And _kidnapping_ me was supposed to get me on your side."

 

He was having fun crushing his light. He looked completely put out. He would get over it soon. Or not, it didn’t really matter. He did kidnap him. Sympathy was the last thing on his mind. "Aw, don't be like that. We're way better than those jokers."

 

"Sure." He realized with a start that he didn't know about him. He hadn't known about him. He couldn't read him. It wasn't like Gavin. There just wasn't anything there to read in the first place, though there obviously should have been. It just didn’t seem to matter with Gavin. But with this guy it seemed that there was something blocking him.

 

There was a silence that lingered in the air. It gave him the opportunity to loosen the ropes on his hands. It didn't take long, and, eager to get away from the weirdo, he jumped up and shoved his way out of the closet. The use of his powers hadn’t weakened him all that much; after all, it was just untying a rope. At least he hadn’t tried to cut through it. That would have been dumb.

 

The guy reached out and made an attempt to grab him, and he could feel he was putting his whole "power borrowing" thing behind it. The world tilted for but he was only deterred for a second. He didn't try to grab him again, and a glance back made the world spin and revealed the guy on the ground, clutching his head. He probably shouldn't have taken that particular power. It was a bitch when you had no way to filter it.

 

He should probably tell Geoff or someone about it. Maybe Jack. Probably not Michael. Someone needed to know. And they apparently noticed his absence.


	6. We Said You Belong, and You Do, So Stop Worrying

He was going to fucking handcuff Ray to him. He was going to make sure no one stopped looking at the Puerto Rican for the rest of his life. He was going to make sure he never scared anyone like that again because goddamn that was scary. The worst part was that he absolutely refused to tell anyone what happened. He'd just shown up, happy as can be. His hand was clamped firmly on his arm and he looked increasingly uncomfortable. Too bad for him. No way was he letting go until they made it to the school.

 

Michael peeked at them from the seat in front of them. He seemed just as chill about it as Ray was. Apparently he had no qualms about the new recruits dying. Maybe he was being a bit paranoid? Ha, good one. “Dude, what even happened? You just disappeared.”

 

“I got mugged.” He said dismissively. It probably shouldn’t have been said dismissively. His hand tightened and Ray shot him a dirty look. Boo fucking hoo. He would have to deal with it. 

 

Michael paused for a second. He didn't look like he believed him. “Really?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Wow.” He disappeared behind his seat. 

 

He sighed. Those two were going to be great friends. Then drop off and never talk to each other again. Maybe even say a sparse hello in the halls and have that be their daily quota of human interaction. The lady that talked about the safety precautions of a plane was almost finished, and Geoff was eager to get going. The sooner they left the sooner they got back and the sooner they got back the sooner he could relax from the whole ordeal.

 

From the stories he’d heard recruitment was rarely troublesome. Sure, the kids were rude sometimes and others they were just being difficult teenagers. But he’d never heard of a kid getting mugged or about how stressful it really was. Maybe he wouldn't jump on the first open mission the next time he saw it. Maybe he would do matenence or something. That was bound to be less stressful then recruitment missions. 

 

He shook his head and felt his ears pop, the sign that they’d begun their journey back to the school.

-.-

The school looked more like a mansion. Its brickwork was covered in vines and plants that looked absolutely strange to Ray. The windows were open and probably served as interior lighting when it was still bright outside. The gardens looked like kids played in it all day and the teens had secret meetings at night. He'd never seen anything like it, but what would he expect from a school for mutants? The plants were probably a minor inconvenience from what he would find inside.

 

Really, anything could have impressed him. He'd been living on the streets. A _bed_  was a step up. A whole mansion? That was just too good to be true. Maybe he'd steal all the soap they provided just in case they chose to throw him out. "So, this is the place?" 

 

"Yep," said Geoff. He had finally let go of Ray's hand, and he was grateful for that. He wasn't a baby. He could take care of himself. Besides, it was starting to hurt. The ones that were used to the school were looking at the new recruits to see their reaction. 

 

"So where do we go first?" Gavin piped up. He seemed just as awestruck of the mansion as Ray was. Though maybe he wouldn't be quite so appreciative. After all, his house was nothing if not fancy. Though it was another matter entirely if he was allowed to touch anything in his own house.

 

"We'll have to take you to Burnie. He's the headmaster." Jack said, staying at the back of the group. He couldn't imagine why. If it was his home, he would have been inside already. Maybe he was still jumpy from the earlier excursions. "He'll want to meet you and get you into the database. And to get you set up for classes."

 

"You call the headmaster by his first name?" Ryan interjected, hefting his bag on his shoulder and walking to the door. He didn't get very far. 

 

"Hey! Dude, where are you going?" Geoff sounded absolutely panicked. He almost lunged to grab him, and Ray was certain he would if he didn't look reluctant to do so.

 

"Ryan, I think you might want to get back over here." Michael advised, slowly backing away. Gavin took the hint, and Ray was close to follow.

 

"Why?" He didn't stop, and that was probably a bad idea if the expressions on the veteran's faces had anything to say about it.

 

"The thugs," was the only thing Jack said. It didn't take long for the aforementioned group to show up. The huge oak door was practically thrown off its hinges by an over zealous student. Two toppled out and the other appeared out of thin air in front of them. They had quite the history behind them. They were the resident troublemakers, people others tended to avoid. But they were still valued members of the school's family. 

 

The one who teleported was a girl. She seemed way too excited and her red hair seemed to practically float. She was wearing tinted glasses, though why he wouldn't be able to guess. It had something to do with her mutation, that much he was able to gather. But other then that he was in the dark. She seemed too eager to meet the new students. Probably to find out their powers and see if she could recruit them to their team.

 

The other two didn't provide much in detail, though he could tell one of them had some kind of horns growing from their head. What the fuck. Once again, it had something to do with his mutation. It was still a little disconcerting though. 

 

Geoff sighed, and waved in the general direction of the group they had called the thugs. He didn't have a very good track record with them. None of them did. He snickered a bit when he realized that whenever they had a videogame match with them they usually lost. "Ray, Gavin, Ryan meet Lindsay, Caleb, and Kdin, aka the resident idiots."

 

"Hey!" Came a muffled cry from somewhere in the pile. More students where starting to crowd around, and Ray could tell that Geoff was eager to get to the headmaster's office. Ray probably would have joined him, had he not wanted to traditionally introduce himself to them.  

 

Too bad for Geoff and great for him, because it seemed the girl had every intention of introducing herself to them. "Hey, I'm Lindsay Tuggey, resident teleporter. What can you do?" She was straightforward. 

 

He took a moment to read her more thoroughly. It was a bit harder then it would have usually been, but he just shrugged it off. Probably had something to do with her mutation. "You're dating Michael, huh? How's that working out for you?"

 

That seemed to make her excited. Not the usual reaction, but it was better then someone screaming at him or running away. "A telepath! You're going to get along with Kdin, I can tell already."

 

"Lindsay," Kdin whined from behind her. Wow. He had quite the ensemble going on. Horns and a tail that looked like it belonged to some kind of lizard. His eyes were weird too. Purple and green. "I wanted to introduce myself first." In terms of reading him it was similar to Lindsay, though most of his history was hidden in shadow. 

 

"Don't be a bitch, Kdin. I haven't really said anything yet."

 

He seemed to brightest up at that. He seemed like the kind of person that liked to do shit on his own, even if he was absolute crap at it. "I'm Kdin Jenzen, telekinetic and telepathic communicator. Nice to meet you."

 

"Cool." He didn't seem too put off by Ray's lackluster response. He and Lindsay quickly transitioned to fawning over Gavin and left the third member to shake his hand feebly. His name was Caleb and he was left behind a lot.

 

"Caleb Denecour. Mild telepath and healer."

-.-

He was surrounded by extraordinary people. The one with the horns was a surprise, but it was actually kind of cool. All of them had something unique to offer the world. A power unique to them. Something that made them who they are. It made them special and unique and amazing. 

 

It made him feel inadequate.

 

They were led through the mansion to an office. The wood paneling traveled from the halls and into the stuffy room. The chair was uncomfortable and the air was too hot. Maybe it was Michael pulling a prank on them. What an asshole.

 

It took too long for the headmaster to actually show up. According to Geoff he was going to get them organized for classes and to get them into the database. I.e. he was going to ask about their mutations. Great. This was going to turn out fantastic. How could anything go wrong?

 

He was heavily built and his hair had a similar color and style to Michael's. He seemed nice enough. He hoped he fulfilled the feeling. "Hello," he greeted kindly. "My name is Burnie Burns, headmaster of the school. To can call me whatever you want, though I would prefer you not use profanities around the younger students."

 

Ryan got the feeling he was waiting for an introduction. He might as well get it over with. "Um... I'm Ryan Haywood..."

 

Burnie nodded encouragingly. He certainly had a teacher air about him. He mush be good with children. "Go on, what can you do, Ryan?"

 

"Er... that's the thing... I don't... know." 

 

He seemed confused by that. "Are you sure? There's never been anything strange happen in your life? No inexplicable phenomena?"

 

"Uh... not really, no." This was getting too awkward for him. Everyone was looking at him and he couldn't breathe. Were they going to kick him out? Leave him on the streets? He didn't belong here. He should have stayed where he understood things and people didn't expect him to be anything fantastic. He should have lied, said something different, just played it up as long as he could.

 

"Hmm... we'll have to fix that." That wasn't right. He didn't belong, why was he giving him a chance? Burnie shifted his position so he was facing Ray and Gavin. "I hope you don't mind, but it seems that I will have to learn of your mutations through more.. direct methods."

 

They both shook their heads. They didn't mind. Ryan absolutely did. Burnie got up and ushered for them to follow. He led them in silence to a place where he wood didn't reach and gave way to metal walls and concrete floors. Lights flashed in every crack and it smelled like a doctor's office. The door he stopped at seemed threatening, even if it was the same as all the others. He didn't like the feeling. 

 

"Welcome to the Danger Room."

-.-

He wasn't one for light places. It was too loud there, where people talked and laughed and enjoyed each other's company. He preferred to be alone. Good thing too, because people were rarely brave enough to approach him. When they were they soon learned. 

 

It had its ups and downs. One of them was being able to tell when someone was coming towards you. And the two jokers that were painfully out of their element in the dingy bar definitely were.

 

Scrawny one sat next to him and ordered a drink. Nine year old followed his lead.

 

When the drinks came scrawny one leaned over and whispered into his ear. "Interested in a job?"

 

He didn't bother to lower his voice. Anyone in the bar knew not to eves drop on his conversations. "Depends on the job. And the pay."

 

Scrawny looked pleased. Probably that he ha gotten a response. He wondered if he had a girlfriend, and if so what she saw in him. "The job is mercenary, and the pay isn't a problem. All we need is for you to target someone."

 

"That won't be a problem. I can take out anyone you throw at me, and if you're telling the truth about the pay, then I'm in."

 

"Great. We need you to target a girl that goes by Meg Turney." Scrawny slid an envelope over the table. He grabbed it and got up, striding out of the bar. He was nothing if not quick in his employments. 


	7. Tell People What They're Getting Into If You Know So You Can Avoid What Will Happen If You Don't

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm back with another chapter and an open mind for suggestions. I have a vague idea of where this fic will go, but there's still a lot that's open for input. If you have an idea you'd like to see in the fic pitch it and I might use it. No guarantees though. Anyways it's like 12 and I need to sleep so have this crap action sequence (more like craption sequence amiright).

The room was mainly metal and white plastic, pristine and unblemished. It seemed a bit boring, but looks could be deceiving. According to Geoff this was a training room, though why a school would need a training room he had no idea. Considering it wasn't exactly a normal school it made more sense, but not enough for Ryan to not question it. There were panels every few feet, and as far as he could tell there was nothing in the room to suggest that it was used for training. 

 

“So, um… what do we do now?” He asked, glancing back at Ray and Gavin. They both looked uncomfortable in the uniforms they had been given. They were a dull black and they were way too tight, though maybe he was just nervous. This would determine if he would stay in the school or get kicked out in an unfamiliar city hundreds of miles from his home. The uniforms had been made to strengthen their powers. Since Ryan had no idea what his powers were (never mind his doubt that he actually had any in the first place) he was outfitted in a standard uniform. It was boring, but it was what he was given so he didn't dwell on it too long. He wasn't willing to complain. 

 

Gavin’s uniform was open in the back, allowing his wings to drape behind him. It had been a shock seeing them for the first time. They were tawny and brown and they seemed too big. In retrospect it seemed like he should have known about them long ago. All of his little quirks did seem to suggest like he was hiding something. Wings would not have been the top thing on his list, though. He had just accepted Gavin’s tendency to have a tight shirt that he always pulled at and a jacket when they went out for a more public occasion. He wondered if he could actually fly. He wondered if it hurt to keep them bound like he did all day.

 

Ray’s was a bit different. It was almost the same as Ryan’s but there were some kind of gauntlets that he wore around his hands. According to Patrick, a mutant with the power to realize other’s full potential, he had designed them to be able to let Ray control his powers on a finer scale. According to him he was able to manipulate things with the excess energy that he avoided using by wearing his glasses to inhibit his powers. But it typically whipped him out so he tended to only do minor things, like jamming the smallest component of a machine to render it unusable. It seemed like a small power, but Ray seemed to know what to do with it to make it worthwhile. 

 

It made Ryan feel like crap. Even if he did have powers there was no way they were as great as the others’ were. “I dunno. This is a training room right? Where’s all the shit to train with?” Ray asked. He looked around the room and spotted a window set into a wall to their right. “Hey, assholes!” He yelled up at it. “You going to let us train or what?”

-.-

The room that overlooked the Danger Room wasn’t as big as Jack would have liked. It made him claustrophobic and there was the ever present worry in his mind that he would hurt someone if he didn’t look where he was going. He wasn't willing to recreate his experience when he had first gained his powers. It had been, to put it lightly, a disaster. 

 

“So what’re they going to go up against?” Michael demanded, ever impatient. Burnie, who was programing the system with a training simulation, didn’t reply for a while. He just kept messing with the many buttons and screens. Jack almost thought he hadn't heard the lad. But he answered, so that theory was dashed quickly. 

 

“I’m thinking of having a three on three match between them and the self-proclaimed ‘team kickass’.” He made actual air quotes when he said their name. Everyone present rolled their eyes but Jack’s only widened in worry.

 

“Wait, you’re sending them against Miles, Kerry, _and_ Monty? Sir, even if it’s a simulation do they really have a chance?” Everyone was staring at him. It would have made him embarrassed and slightly uncomfortable, but they seemed to agree with what he was saying. It had been hard to get them out of the school when they proved to be more trouble then they were worth. He could only imagine what they would do in a real battle situation.

 

“They won’t be at their full power. I’m not _that_ merciless.” He said, turning back and initiating the program. Jack had his doubts. “But you guys should probably suit up either way. They’ll need reinforcements and they need to work on teamwork with their future teammates.”

 

“Wait… we’re teaming up with them?” Geoff questioned, though he was already halfway to the door. Jack hoped they wouldn't have to help them. If they did he didn't want to think about how the new recruits would end up.

 

“Yeah. The Achievement Hunters. How’s that sound?”

-.-

They stood awkwardly for a while. There was nothing to do, and Ray was constantly activating his gauntlets, making an annoying buzzing noise every time. Gavin was worriedly messing with his wings. He was proud that he managed to keep quiet as long as he did. But the constant noise was getting on his already frayed nerves. “Can you fucking stop?”

 

He did, looking up at the stressed look painted on Ryan’s face. “Dude, are you ok?”

 

“Am I ok?” He almost laughed at that. He had been ripped from his home and thrown into a strange world of mutants and powers almost overnight. He was surrounded by extraordinary people and he felt like he wasn’t one of them. They could do things that he couldn't and he was expected to be something that he had doubts he could ever be. No to mention they were in an empty room wearing weird costumes. The stress of the last few days seemed to come crashing down on him from that one question.

 

He wasn’t sure if he was glad or disappointed when the three people popped into existence in front of them, cutting off his reply. They seemed unthreatening, considering one looked like they were 12. But he could tell they meant business. This must be what they had meant when they said the Danger Room had the ability to create solid light holograms.

 

They seemed real enough, though. The one farthest left had scruffy hair and a mischievous smile. Ryan didn’t like that smile. It said that he knew how to beat him and he would carry it out in an instatnt. The one in the middle had his arms crossed and he was practically glaring at them. He had gloves on and strange boots, though he wasn’t sure why he lingered on them. The last one didn’t look like much, and he was the least threatening of them all. His arms were bare and the hoodie he wore looked like someone had tried to cut off the sleeves with scissors not made for fabric.

 

Behind him he felt Ray stiffen. “What’s wrong?” he whispered.

 

“Remember when I got mugged?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“The one on the right is the one that did it.”

 

He wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Why would the one who mugged him back in New York be in a simulation in Austin? Maybe he had been a student? Maybe they knew him from somewhere? Whatever it was it was weird, and the only thing he could manage was an intelligent “Oh.”

 

Then they started moving, Gloves settling into a defensive stance, while Ray did the same. The only problem was that it was eerily similar. There was a whistling near his head and he instinctively ducked, only to see Ray’s fist go sailing through where his head was a moment before. He was stunned for a moment, and from the Puerto Rican’s expression, he was too.

 

“What the fuck was that?” he managed to shout, falling on his ass trying to avoid another swing to his chest. He glanced up just in time to see Sleeveless go after Gavin and for Smirk to suddenly split into two, then three, then four. Suddenly they were outnumbered, not evenly matched. He practically stumbled to his feet when his attention was brought back to Ray, who looked like he was struggling against invisible ropes holding him in the same position he had ended up in when his attack failed.

 

“Dude I don’t fucking know,” he ground out. The ropes holding him must have snapped because he stumbled for a moment, broken out of his awkward pose. Then he took a deep breath and Ryan was almost certain that what he was seeing was Ray getting ready to murder someone.

 

He let out something that sounded _very_ vulgar and charged Gloves, slamming his own gloved hands into his chest before he could react. The result was Gloves being thrown backwards and into the wall, making an audible _thump_ before he fell to the ground, limp.

 

That only left Sleeveless and the multiple copies of Smirk that were running around. Gavin was having trouble, Sleeveless dancing around him and plucking at the feathers in his wings, making him squawk every time. He looked annoyed more than anything and attempted to bat him with his wings, only succeeding in getting a kick in the side, causing him to fall over. He tried to get up, but Sleeveless was just standing over him, making a grab for him.

 

Ray was the only one to react, and the only one to realize the severity of what was happening. He charged Sleeveless, only to be met with air. He had somehow dodged and moved in front of Ryan in the process. Ryan blinked and started backing up. This wasn’t good, he could tell. Ray was helping Gavin up and Smirk was advancing on them. Him and all his copies, though Ryan couldn’t tell which was the original.

 

Sleeveless reached towards him and his self-preservation instincts kicked in. There was a reason Ray had reacted the way he did towards Sleeveless and he didn’t want to find out why. He moved, shoving something that had found its way into his hand at his attacker. There probably would have been a scream or something, but all that happened was Sleeveless disappearing. Something clattered to the ground and he suddenly remembered it was just a simulation. There was no danger.

 

On the ground was what looked like a kitchen knife. His brows furrowed and he wondered where he had gotten it. He knelt down to pick it up but was only met with air. He glanced over at Ray and Gavin, only to see that they were alone. They had won.

-.-

“What the _fuck_ was that?” Ray demanded the second they were back in Burn’s office. He was practically fuming. Hell, if his power was anything like Michael's he probably would have been literally burning. They had thrust them into a situation with no foreword about what would occur other then it was to learn about their powers. It wasn’t until the rest of the dork squad had burst in that he realized the severity of what had happened. Thank God no one had been hurt.

 

“It was a simulation.” The only response Burnie got from that was a glare. He hesitated before hazarding a more complete answer. “Ok, maybe I should have explained it better before we sent you in. But we did find out what Ryan’s powers are.”

 

“No shit,” Ray muttered, sitting back and letting the others take charge of the conversation.

 

“What? I didn’t do anything.” Ryan insisted. He looked like he was about to pass out. That wasn’t good. But there was also an undercurrent of relief on his face. Ray wasn’t sure why that would be. Maybe he was glad the simulation was over. He was whipped out just from what he’d managed to do, though the gloves had done their job, considering he wasn’t passed out on a bed at the moment.

 

Burns looked confused. “What do you mean? You created that knife. You have the power to create energy constructs.” It was Ryan’s turn to look confused but he didn’t say anything. He just sat in silence, pondering the most recent development. Gavin was twiddling his thumbs, looking around awkwardly and constantly shifting his wings. “Now, about your classes.”


	8. So You're the Bad Guys Then?

The building wasn’t that suspicious. It didn't normally warrant any special attention. But, to be fair, an empty warehouse, while not threatening in it of itself, was a perfect place to conduct all sorts of unsavory activities. Why it hadn't been thoroughly searched was a mystery to him. Hell, maybe it had been searched. It wasn’t his job to know what his target did in her spare time; it was his job to make it so she wouldn’t be seen again. It didn't matter what the warehouse was used for. Whatever she did didn’t matter. What mattered was that she was there. Everything else was secondary.

 

It was simple to slip inside. After all, people rarely notice shadows. They preferred to act like nothing happened, that they had been watching too many horror movies or hadn’t gotten enough sleep. It was a trick of the light when the shadows got darker or an arm reached out and opened a door. There was always someone on the other side, someone they could see. Of course, they didn’t need to know that the other’s thought process had been something similar. People ignored things they didn't understand. A guard only focused on threats he could see.

 

Through the not-quite-abandoned warehouse he passed rooms with cells and others that acted as bedrooms. There were vials and liquids that he couldn’t guess the purpose or contents of. Not that he cared. It wasn’t his job to know what it was. It was his job to keep moving and find the one he had been paid to find. Other rooms were locked, and he probably would have slipped in, had he cared enough. He could hear things coming from the rooms, and none of it was good.

 

It didn’t take long to find the room he needed. It was furbished elegantly, and there were papers neatly stapled together and books lining the walls. His target sat behind the desk that was centered in the middle of the room. Meg Turney, 27 years old, attended high school and graduated with flying colors, quickly thereafter falling off the map. There wasn’t much on her after that, but with some digging and questions here and there he was able to track her to where she was now, sitting behind a desk and doing paperwork.

 

She looked up and smiled at him. “Ah, I see you managed to find me.” She didn’t seem too concerned that a virtual hit man was standing in her office. The lights flickered a bit, causing the room to be buried in shadow. It was how he fought, and it was effective. He saw her frown and shake her head. “Now, now, there’s no need for that.”

 

Suddenly the room was too bright, and there were no shadows, nothing that he could use to fight or to melt into and escape. He hadn’t expected his target to be a mutant, much less one as powerful as she seemed to be. Maybe it was just their difference in powers and the fact that hers trumped his. He wasn’t used to feeling helpless. He didn’t like it, either. His mind descended into panic and it took longer than he would have liked to pull himself back. “W-what? How…?”

 

She smiled, and he saw that the light was coming from her. “As I’m sure you’re aware, Mr. Risinger, there are people in this world with extraordinary talents, such as yourself. Shadow manipulation is a rare gift indeed. It’s a shame you use it the way you do.”

 

She was stalling. She wanted something. He was used to these types of people and he could pinpoint them a mile away. She was obviously a mutant, though her motives were still hidden. “What do you want?”

 

She fixed her face into something akin to offence. Once again, she was stalling. “Why, I just want to help you. Give you a righteous way to use your powers.”

 

“Your idea of righteous and mine are bound to be leagues apart.”

 

She nodded. “That, I can understand, but, unfortunately, you don’t get a choice in the matter.” She snapped her fingers and three people walked in, standing defensively in front of the door. Two of them were the ones that had recruited him. The other one was someone he didn't recognize, but he noticed they were wearing some kind of weird outfit. One of them didn't even have sleeves, and the other had weird gloves. So it had been a set up all along. He glanced down to see if they cast any shadows. They didn’t, Meg made sure of that. “You see, there are people out there who don’t exactly like us, who we are, what we can do, so on and so forth. But we can be taught how to fight, how to survive and put those who would hurt us in their place.”

 

“So you want me to join your emo band?”

 

This time her reaction wasn’t fabricated. Her face contorted into pure rage, and the room got all the brighter. “This is no laughing matter. We are a new race of people, a superior race. Some seem to think that normal humans will just accept us without question. Well, I can see that it is not the case, and you probably can too. Your life was hard growing up. People never understood. They always ran away from you.” She took a deep breath. He knew he had tipper her over the edge and she was trying desperately to get back to her point. He wasn’t there so she could lecture him about equality and the future of mutants. “Anyways, I am here to offer you a job.”

 

“A real job this time?”

 

She actually smirked at that. “Yes, a real job. I want you to do some… ah, undercover work. It would be right up your alley, considering what you do.”

 

“And I don’t suppose I get any say in the matter?”

 

“No. You will do what I ask, even if it ends up being against your will. Make it easier on all of us.” She walked out from behind her desk and handed him a brochure. On it was a bright picture of a mansion, complete with a garden and parapets and everything else one would expect from a mansion of that size. According to the brochure it was the Burns Academy for Gifted Youths. “This school is a self-proclaimed sanctuary for mutants. While they have a similar goal to ours, there is always that little wall of conflicting opinions. I want you to get into there, undercover, and report all of the occurrences and students. Leave no stone unturned and be our eyes and ears.”

 

He looked at her like she was insane. “You expect me to be a student at this school.” It wasn’t a question.

 

“Yes.”

 

“I don’t know if you know this, but I’m way too old to attend a school, even if it is for people like me and you.”

 

She smiled. She waved her hand and the peanut gallery sprang into action. They left, making the door slam in their haste. “We have a plan for that. You see, we have a lot of mutants here. Some are more helpful then others and some more powerful.” The door opened again and a girl was ushered in. She didn’t look the best, but she could certainly look worse. She was obviously a prisoner, though her treatment wasn’t the roughest that existed. “This is Griffon. She has the power of biological manipulation. She’s going to make you passable as a teenage boy. Obviously you can’t just waltz in with a full handle on your powers, so some acting is going to have to be involved.

-.-

It was weird, having people just accept the wings.

 

The first day he was positive someone was going to comment on them, call them out, laugh about them. He wasn’t used to just walking around with them out. They were usually crammed into a tight jacket or taped down. It was a surprise when people either ignored them completely or complemented them. It was a surreal experience the first time. The second he started thinking that maybe he did like it at the school. The third he thought people were probably just messing with him. There was no way they actually thought they were cool.

 

He was on his way to lunch, though he was a bit lost. The hallways all looked the same and no one else was wandering the halls. He rounded the corner of yet another identical hallway and finally saw someone. He opened his mouth to speak, "Hey-" but the words died in his mouth. He was the one who had introduced himself as Kdin when he and his friends made their spectacular introduction at the front gates. The only problem was along with the tail and the horns he had huge leathery wings draped behind him.

 

He didn't seem offended at Gavin's staring; in fact his face broke into a wide smile. “Hey there, you’re Gavin, right?”

 

“Uh… yeah.” He kept staring and had to make himself look elsewhere. He wouldn’t like it if Kdin was staring at his wings. But there was something he wanted to ask about it. “Why didn’t I see your wings the first time I met you?”

 

“Well, y’see, people don’t tend to react favorably to them. The tail and horns I can usually get away with, but the wings are a bit much, so I usually just keep them hidden.”

 

“Oh. Well, uh… do you happen to know where the cafeteria is?”

 

“Yeah, that way.” He pointed the way he had come. With that he walked off, whistling in the way that suggested he was up to something. At least he hadn't commented on the overwhelming awkwardness of the situation. 

 

At lunch he found the rest of the Achievement Hunters sitting at a table. There wasn’t anywhere else he felt comfortable sitting so he wandered towards them. They were supposed to be a team, after all. He was surprised when it was Michael who greeted him first, scooting over and giving him more room on the bench. “Hey Gavin.”

 

“Hi, Michael.”

 

The others greeted him in a similar fashion. They didn’t say anything about the wings. He was glad for that. They continued on with their conversation, making sure to make it clear that he was part of it as well. “So how were your first days?”

 

“Shit,” Ray said immediately. “Burnie was a cool teacher, though.”

 

“It was alright. The science teacher was kinda weird, though.” Ryan was picking at his food. He didn’t seem to be enjoying it. He was probably just nervous.

 

They stared at him, waiting for an answer. “U-uh… it was fine.” He ducked his head down so he didn’t have to look at them. He felt his wings bob a bit and tried his best to keep them still.

 

“Soooo,” Geoff said, attempting to change the subject. “Did you guys hear about the newest student?”

 

Michael perked up at that. “Yeah, I heard he just showed up at the front gate and Burnie and Hullum took him in with no questions asked. Some people are saying his powers have something to do with shadows.”

 

“That’s kinda creepy.” Jack remarked, looking like the new student was the last person he wanted to meet.

 

Ray just snickered and made mock ghost noises. “Booooo, Pattillo’s scared of one little mutant.”

 

He threw his empty soda can at the Puerto Rican’s head and he easily dodged it. “Shut up. I’m just saying. A mutant with no handle on his powers in the school is dangerous, no matter what I think.”

 

“Don’t you think Mr. Burns and Mr. Hullum would be able to take care of it?” Gavin piped up, his head still bent over his lunch.

 

“You have a point,” Geoff remarked. “To be honest I don’t know the extent of Matt’s powers. I mean he should be able to handle a single mutant, right?” At the blank faces he chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “R-right?”

 

There was a resounding boom through the mansion. “I dunno, sounds like your hero worship isn’t paying off.” Ray remarked. The constant chatter had stopped all at once and the whole of the school was silent, waiting for something to happen.

 

It came in the form of the science teacher, Joel Hayman, stumbling into the cafeteria looking panicked. “Everyone out!” he commanded. The students didn’t need to be told twice.


	9. Calm Down, You're Going to Drive This Place Into the Ground

It was simple enough to get into the school. Well, barring the change in his whole body. It had been unexpected and strange. It hadn’t hurt, but it wasn’t fun rewinding his biological clock to the days when he couldn’t control his powers. As an adult he knew his limits and how to control his powers. As an adolescent he barely even knew what a mutant was. It had been a rude awakening to his parents, but they did put up with it. Looking back it was amazing that they attempted to even raise him after his powers had surfaced. 

 

It had been hard, and that was putting it lightly. As a kid he didn't have the best self control, much less control over something completely strange and strange to him. But after months of trial and error he had managed to control it. Suddenly his dark room wasn’t as scary and he threw away his little night light that he had still used even when he was in high school. But when his powers had been mastered the dark was his friend and the light hallways only made it hard to use his powers. It took him a while longer to figure out the correct way to use what he had been given. He could melt into the shadows and no one ever knew he was there. The light was his friend too, because it cast the shadows that made him able to do what had become his occupation. 

 

It was all fun and games until the day he lost contact with his family. It had been an accident. It really had been, and he hadn't known what to do. He didn’t mean to, yet it happened. They were on vacation, nothing wrong with that. But it was too bright and shadows were almost nonexistent. It had been the first time he felt absolutely helpless and he had acted out, pooling every dark spot and shadowy corner and suddenly he was home and his parents were nowhere to be seen. It had been a nightmare after that. At one point he almost lost control of his powers again, the shadows seeming like his only refuge, only for him to discover how dangerous they actually were. It had been a nightmare, he had wanted to go home and be a kid again, with no powers and no worries. But it was an empty wish, because he knew it would never happen.

 

Meg had told him he might experience some backlash from the transformation, but the warning was hardly sufficient. It was terrible, and he felt the same fear he had that day on the summer long past when he was scared of himself and what he could do. She had said that he might need to act, to pretend that he didn’t know his powers and that he was a helpless child who needed help. There would be no acting involved. He _was_ a kid again and he  _did_ need help, just like he had every day of that terrible year. When it was done he didn’t move, and he didn’t want to. The room was still bright, and thank God for that. There was no way the building would have been still standing if Meg hadn’t been there to corral his powers.

 

They were tricky things, shadows. If there was no force acting on them they would linger and grow and shrink, doing what they were made to do. But give them a taste of what they _could_ do and they grew. Not for long, but long enough. They were eager to listen to anyone competent enough to talk to them. They liked having a purpose, though they got out of hand quickly. That was why he often had trouble as a kid. It was hard to control them when you had no idea how. When you knew what to do it was easier. It took long to figure it out, but figure it out he did.

 

He was Jon, a kid overwhelmed by his powers, seeking refuge. He didn’t know where his parents were, he didn’t know where he was, to be honest. He didn’t know what to do, but he had heard about a place that was accepting of mutants and that helped them control what they could do. That was his fake life, but he felt that none of it was false. Meg didn’t need to know how he felt. He could make it look like he could still control what he could do for long enough. He almost laughed at the irony. He was meant to pretend to be something he actually was. He would have laughed had he found it funny. It wasn’t, it was just scary. To be a kid again was something he wouldn’t have wished on anyone. Especially anyone with his powers. 

 

When they dropped him near the front gates of the school he almost collapsed under the weight of keeping his powers under control in a body that wasn’t meant to know about the powers developing inside it, much less have them in the first place. It was a huge strain on his body and mind and he wished he could just sleep and be done with it. Aparentlly Griffon hadn't gotten the memo about how his powers acted during the stage in life she was catapulting him back to. He would have to tough it out, tough. He had a job to do and he would do it. It was a good thing they noticed him as soon as they did. He had to complement them on their rapid response system. If he survived that long, of course. His head was splitting and he wanted it to stop.

 

When two adults came rushing out they didn’t ask any questions. They just hauled him up off the ground and carted him inside, carrying him past questioning faces and concerned teachers. They took him to a place where the wallpaper ran out and the walls were bare and metal, with harsh florescent lighting and a smell of chemicals that was overwhelming. He wasn’t sure how long it took, all he knew was it took too long.

 

“Hey, hey, can you hear me?” Someone was talking to him, and he tried to answer. It was easier then he would have expected, but unfortunately it didn’t help that all he could manage was a high pitched whining. The person obviously didn’t like that, because they rushed out of the room, only to return with an oppressive force that he could feel was trying to suppress what he was.

 

His control snapped, and the lights flickered off, plunging the room in shadows. That would have been a good thing, had he been able to control them. Instead they rushed forwards, knocking the people down and causing the foundation of the school to shake. It felt good to let it out, but he knew he would have to get them back soon. For now he would let the shadows run their course and as soon as he figured out how to make it hurt less to hold them back.

-.-

It was Geoff’s job to make sure their new team members knew what to do. A new team was hard to control. It was before all the wrinkles were ironed out and they knew where to go and when. It was when they knew when and where their powers were needed. He was supposed to get them suited up and ready to handle the problem. That part was hard because half of his team didn't even know where the uniforms were stored. He was _supposed_ to be the leader. Unfortunately it was hard to be a leader when he could feel the pressure of the newest mutant’s powers overflowing. When Joel came bursting in, yelling about evacuation and something about a dangerous mutant, he just ignored him. Everyone ran out, all finding their way to the front garden. All of them except Geoff. He stayed behind, trying to focus and locate where the newest mutant was hiding. It didn't take long and he was running.

 

“Hey! Ramsey! Get back here, God damnit!” was the last thing he heard before he plunged into the school, following his powers to the source of the confusion and anger that was flowing from somewhere in the mansion. It didn't feel good, and he knew he needed to be there. He needed to help whoever it was. 

 

He found the stairwell to the basement before he even thought about an elevator. His feet flew down the stairs and it was a miracle he didn’t fall. The stairs were too long and in his mind that was being influenced by the strong emotions coming from the underground levels and it affected his ability to think rationally. After he passed a certain point the lights had stopped working. Even the emergency lights hadn’t turned on. Or maybe the shadows had covered even that. It was pitch black, but that didn’t stop him. He followed his powers and he managed to find the source of the disturbance. It was just a kid. A kid who was confused and scared and regretted something, though he couldn't tell what it was.

 

He was in the med bay, he could tell by how it smelled. The chemical scent that all places that assisted in healing seemed to carry. He almost tripped over two bodies, though he didn’t know who they were. They were knocked out and from the pressure around one of them he guessed one of them was Matt. They must have tried to control the new mutant’s powers. It hadn’t gone well, considering they were out cold and the entire basement level was covered in a thick layer of shadow. To be honest Matt's powers weren't the best in this situation. Pressure and negation went hand in hand, and unfortunately that meant they both carried the same oppressive signature. He would have lashed out too, had he felt it in the state the kid was in.

 

The feelings he had picked up had faded somewhat, but he could still sense them, stewing just below the surface. He followed the faint traces to a form he could only just see through the darkness. He put his hand on his shoulder and shook. “Hey, buddy, you ok?” The kid jerked, and almost clubbed him right in the head. Thank God for regular training sessions. He grabbed his hands to keep him from knocking him out or worse. “Hey, dude, calm down. It’ll be ok.”

 

He didn’t notice the lights gradually returning, he only focused on calming the kid down. It was a difficult thing to do. There was so much confusion and panic. But he pushed those away and brought up serenity, making the kid calm down and stop struggling. Surprisingly it didn't take long for the emotions to hold. The kid _wanted_ to be calmed down. He was under a lot of stress, and it had affected how he acted. He looked way too young to have something like his powers on his shoulders. “Wha-who-?”

 

“Shut up and calm down,” he commanded. His arms were heavy and he wanted to lay down in bed and take a long nap. It had taken too much out of him to calm the kid down. It was his job to keep his powers under control. He hoped the kid managed. “You’re safe, you don’t need to collapse the fucking building.”

 

“I-I um, I’m Jon?” He seemed confused about what his name was.

 

“I’m Geoff. Keep your shit together, you hear me?” With that he walked out, making sure that Matt and Patrick were alright. They had no outward ailments, so he took it to mean they were fine, so he left. It wasn't his job anyways. His job was emotions, not anything in the medical field. 

 

He found his team out in the gardens with the rest of the student body. "What the fuck was that, Geoff?" Michael asked.

 

He shrugged. He didn't feel like explaining it at the moment. "Eh, the new kid went batshit."


	10. Accepting and Ignoring Are Two Different Things

“When’s he gonna be here?” He whispered at her. They were cramped in a hall closet, waiting for the third troublemaker to show up. She didn't particularly like sitting in the dark with nothing to do but listen to her fellow conspirator grumble and complain but she had to because they were planning something big and putting up with Caleb would soon be at the back of her mind.

 

“Shut _up_ Caleb. You want the whole school to know we’re here?” Lindsay hissed at him. At this stage they couldn’t chance anyone seeing them. If Kdin had been caught then they would have to continue on without him. It wouldn’t be too hard, but the heavy lifting would be a bit more difficult. She would have to utilize her powers more then she would have liked and that wouldn't be good for anyone. It would be easier if Kdin showed up so she  _really_ hoped he hadn't been caught.

 

“If this closet is our base then won’t it be a bit cramped when Kdin gets here? I mean the guy has _wings._ ”

 

She sighed. He probably wasn’t even listening to her so shouting would only let everyone else know about their secret meeting. In hindsight, maybe a closet wasn’t the best idea. An empty classroom would have been leagues better. Too bad they were too far in to change it at the moment. “Caleb, I swear. Shut up right now.”

 

“Shhh,” he hissed at her. She almost slapped him. “I hear someone.” Instead of retorting she just sat there, arms crossed and steam coming from her ears. Michael wasn’t the only one who could have a temper. He _was,_ however, the only one who could have literal steam coming from his ears. “Do you think you could ‘port out there and see who it is?”

 

She huffed. “If I do then I’m not coming back.”

 

“Alright, alright, just go. Do you want them to come in here and find us?”

 

“Aren’t you a telepath or something?”

 

He shrugged and she rolled her eyes. She focused on the hallway and found herself crouched behind a curtain. It was a good thing, too because she saw a kid walking past their hiding place that was definitely _not_ Kdin. He did have wings, though. It must have been Gavin, then. The weird one who had been enrolled a few days ago. One of the ones they were planning to prank, too. It didn’t take long for Kdin to actually show up, though. It was soon after Gavin disappeared around a corner and started talking to someone. 

 

Kdin came whistling around the corner and Lindsay leapt out of her cover and teleported them into the closet, once again asking herself why she had let Caleb choose the hiding place. At least she had managed to teleport them inside the closet and not in the wall or something. That would have been bad. Well, bad for Kdin. Not so much for her. The fail safe that was part of her mutation would shield her, but not anyone she teleported with.

 

“So do we start now or what?” asked Caleb after a moment of silence.

 

“Actually I was thinking of putting it off.”

 

“Why?” Lindsay asked. If they did then she would be choosing their home base, not Caleb.

 

“Because there’s a new mutant that they found at the gates today and I heard his powers are super impressive. So I’m thinking we get him to help with his weird shadow things and see what we can make happen from there.”

 

“What if he says no?” Lindsay pointed out. Kdin only shrugged.

-.-

After the ordeal with his powers getting out of hand and meeting who he assumed was an empath the school calmed down and accepted him. They moved quickly. Maybe even a bit too quickly. His powers had been more responsive afterwards, though it wasn’t at its full potential. It would have to do, though, because the school was moving along without his consent. They didn’t seem to care all that much that he almost destroyed the school. They just asked him about classes and accommodations. Things like that must happen often. He didn't know how to feel about that.

 

When he found himself in a room fully furnished and stocked full of clothes and electronics he didn’t know what to think. Maybe they just didn’t care. That was dumb, though. Of course they cared. It was another matter entirely if they blamed him for it. They didn’t, as was obvious with the room he had been given and the schedule sitting on the desk. They thought he was just another lost kid, hoping to get a grip on their life again. They never bothered to tell the students that they never would. They never bothered to ask who he was, either. As far as they knew his name was Jon Risinger and he was a mutant, therefore earning him a place in the school. 

 

The whole mutant ordeal hadn’t escaped into public media or just general knowledge. As far as the public was concerned they were just weird events and people freaking out over nothing. It was better than having them know and making it harder for the kids to grow up and lead a normal life. Was it better for them to not know what they were or to know exactly what was happening and hate themselves for it? They both seemed like a shitty outcome. He was content to live the way he had been, but apparently there were powerful mutants out there who wanted to change the world. It seemed the school wanted the world to figure out in its own time and accept them. It was wishful thinking, but not impossible. Meg seemed to want to assert the superiority of mutants over normal humans. For better or for worse he didn’t really care, but he didn’t have a choice in the matter. It wasn’t like Meg cared what his opinion was. She had made it abundantly clear that the only reason he wasn’t sitting in a locked room was that his powers were more useful for spying.

 

Since he didn’t have anything of his own besides a few crumpled dollar bills and information about how to contact Meg shoved in his pockets he wandered over to the desk and rifled through the drawers. They were filled with pencils and papers and wires to charge the electronics in the room. There was a laptop and a phone sitting on the desk. Well, the school sure wasn’t lacking in funds. They were generous, too. He pushed away the guilt that he felt bubbling up. It had never been a problem before. When he was a spy or a mercenary or anything else there was never any doubt or guilt. It was always just another job. Maybe it was just the aftershock of being a teenager again. It wasn’t exactly something he would wish on anyone else.

 

There was a knock on his door that nearly made him drop the remote he had picked up (he hadn’t figured out what it was for yet). He quickly put everything away and swung the door open to find three students staring at him in expectation. That didn’t bode well. “Um… hi?” he tried when they didn’t say anything.

 

“Hey, you must be the new student,” said the girl in front. She was pretty, though he didn’t like the smile on her face. It was a teenager planning something bad. Nothing good was going to come out of this. He nodded. “Cool! I’m Lindsay, that’s Caleb,” she gestured to the kid behind her who was wearing a baseball cap with a red cross on it. “And that’s Kdin,” she gestured to the other kid behind her who would have the most problems going out in public.

 

“Uhuh.” They probably wanted something from him. He wasn’t going to take the first step, though.

 

“We’re here to show you around the school, y’know, introduce you to people and get you more familiar with the layout.”

 

As much as he didn’t want to it was a perfect opportunity to, as they had said, learn about the school. It was part of his job, and to do his job thoroughly he would have to learn about the layout and the students. He just wished that someone else had proposed it to him. “Sure.”

 

He closed the door behind him and the group seemed surprised that it hadn’t taken force to get him out of his room. “Oh. Ok, cool. So, where too first?” It was Lindsay who asked, and she had already started walking down the hall.

 

“I guess just wherever you think is most important.”

 

She nodded. “Alright, then I guess I’ll introduce you to some people. Then we can check out the cafeteria and rec room.”

 

They walked in silence for a while. They went up a staircase and then down another one. He tried his best to keep track of where he was going but he quickly lost track. He was convinced they were just leading him on. They met people and they all looked at him like he was a freak. In a school made for freaks it made his heart sink. He didn’t want to be the one that almost destroyed the school, he wanted to be who he was the first time around, the kid that sat in the back of the class that wasn’t normal but he wasn’t weird either. At least then people had said hello to him in the halls and they cared to learn his name before they started judging who he was.

 

He shook his head. Why was he thinking like that? Was it another aftershock of turning into a kid again? Probably. He would have to get used to it. “And this is Michael’s room.” Lindsay was saying. “He does some stuff with fire and it’s pretty cool I guess. Not as cool as my mutation, of course, but he’s acceptable.” He had to snort at that. He was doing a tolerable job remembering everything. There were quite a few interesting mutations. Like Ryan. Energy constructs were helpful in a bind. It was similar to what he could do, except whenever he tried to make anything from the shadows they tended to throw it back in his face. They didn’t like being corporeal.

 

After going through the bedrooms he was lead to the cafeteria. It was big and smelled like a combination of every dish that was frequently cooked in the kitchens that offset it. It wasn’t worth much note except for the huge windows that overlooked the entire room. After that was the rec room, a small room full of games and a huge TV that he assumed was used to watch movies or play games on. There was a kid lying on the couch. “Who’s that?” he asked Lindsay.

 

“Who’s who?” she asked, looking around for who he was talking about. She finally saw him and she huffed and walked over to him, kicking him in the foot that had fallen off the couch. “Geoff! Get up!”

 

Geoff woke up with a start, only relaxing when he realized it was only Lindsay. “Christ, Lindsay. Can’t you just let me sleep for once?”

 

“Nope. What are you even doing here? You have a bedroom.”

 

He shrugged. “Can’t blame me for wanting to spend as much time as possible in the mansion before I leave.”

 

Lindsay seemed to think that over for a minute before she frowned deeply. “Oh yeah. You’re leaving soon.” She sat down next to him. “Do you have to? I mean, this is your home. I don’t get why you have to go.”

 

“I’m all grown up. It’s time I made my own way in life. I can’t stay here even if I wanted to.”

 

“You absolutely could,” Kdin interjected, sitting down on the other side of Geoff.  They sat like that for a while in silence, Caleb going to join them. He took it as his cue to leave.


	11. Really, Though, You Don't Have to Go

_He was in his room. It was a normal day with nothing to do. He didn’t have school and his homework was all done. Well, actually, neither of those were particularly true. He_ would _have had school, had his parents let him go. They seemed scared of something, though of what he didn’t know. Whatever it was it warranted a sick day. Maybe they just didn't want to drive him. Either way it was nice to be able to stay home. But he was bored, so he snuck down the stairs, ignoring what his parents told him about staying in his room until they came and got him. He didn’t get far because he heard his parents talking in hushed tones in the kitchen. He stopped to listen, not particularly caring if they saw him. The worst thing they could do was lock him in his room._

_“It’s not natural, honey.” His dad was saying. He seemed worried. It wasn’t in an I-forgot-my-paperwork-at-the-office worried, it was full blown terror. He wondered for a moment who they were talking about. Whoever it was probably wouldn’t be too happy to hear him say that._

_“I know it isn’t. But he’s our son, what are we supposed to do?” Oh. They were talking about him. His heart sank and he started to climb back up the stairs. His eyes were burning and he didn’t know what to think. He didn’t know what to do. He was at a loss and it had nothing to do with the words written on everyone. What were they talking about? Why were they acting like he was a problem that they had to get rid of? That was what they sounded like. It sounded like they just wanted to be rid of him and they would have, had he not been their child. He didn't want to be another hurtle to jump over._

_“We can let him go.” He didn’t know why he kept listening, but he did. He heard his mother gasp but he wasn’t sure if she favored the idea. He didn’t know if he would have kept a kid who was a freak. They seemed to think it was some kind of freak accident or something that could have been prevented. He wasn’t sure he agreed. Whatever had happened to him it was going to come out eventually, that much he was certain of. He didn’t fully understand it himself but at least he was getting the hang of controlling it. They didn't seem to care. They just wanted it over and done with._

_“W-what? Listen to yourself! You’re talking about our_ son _! We can’t just_ abandon _him.” He started to creep away. He didn’t want to listen to this anymore. It was making him sick and he just didn't want to hear what they were saying. Maybe they would just forget about it and continue living peacefully. He caught one last sentence before finding himself in the safety of his room._

_“He stopped being my son when those…_ powers _showed up.” His father spat the words out with such conviction that he wanted to curl into a ball and block out the world. It would have been better than the crushing pain in his stomach. He sprinted to his room, not caring who heard him. There was no way they were going to forget about it. There was no way he could stop doing what he could. It was just part of who he was now. Too bad his parents didn't seem think that way._

Ray woke with a start. He was sweating and shivering and he felt like a child who had been abandoned by his parents because he could do something they couldn’t understand. Hell, he was still a child. It didn’t help him any, though. At the moment he would have rather been an adult. Someone who was used to the world and didn’t still hope for the day that his parents would pick him back up at the park and tell him it had all been a mistake and they still wanted him. He understood that what he could do scared people. But he would have never guessed it would drive his family away. He didn’t blame himself but he didn’t blame his parents either. People tended to be scared of things they didn’t understand. That much he understood now. 

 

He got up and started pacing. He had to move and get rid of the extra energy that the dream had dumped on him. There was no way he was getting back to sleep now. Why had he had that dream again? He had gotten over it years ago. He stopped caring. His life was much better now, after all. He had a place to live that accepted who he was. He glanced around his room for a moment and stopped dead in his tracks. The furniture was all messed up. It wasn’t messy or overturned or anything, they were just in the wrong place. He set his mouth in a hard line. He didn’t need this shit right now. There were only three people in the school that would do it and he was going to give them a piece of his mind. He would have thought a month at the school was enough to give him a free pass from the whole prank the new kid phase. Apparently not.

 

His revenge would have to wait, though, because today happened to be the day that Geoff was leaving. It had been a surprise when Geoff had finally told him. Maybe surprise wasn't the right word. Sure, he hadn't expected it but he couldn't explain the mix of emotions that had appeared without warning. He was sad and confused but he was wasn't at all angry, the way some of the others were. It was during a training session. He had said he wasn’t a kid anymore and that he wanted to make his own way in life. Ray had just shrugged and told him that he would regret that decision. Having a place to live without having to contribute to keeping it was a luxury he would miss. Geoff didn’t heed his warning. He would learn eventually. 

 

He checked the time. It was late enough. He got dressed and found his way to the cafeteria, hoping for something to eat or someone to talk to. What he found wasn’t what he expected. Team Thugs was doing a balancing act, setting up streamers and decorations in what Ray thought was the most inefficient way. He didn’t even get why they were treating it like a celebration. Geoff was _leaving_ and they didn’t seem to grasp that. It wasn’t going to impact Achievement Hunter in a positive way. Geoff was the only person every member of the team listened to.

 

“Hey, Ray,” Kdin shouted at him from across the room. “Could you toss me that tape roll?”

 

He didn’t move. “You’re a telekinetic, get it yourself.”

 

“But it’s so faaar.” He sighed and picked up the desired item, chucking across the room and hitting the telekinetic square in the face. He had to laugh at that.

-.-

He woke up and immediately knew he wanted to stay in bed. He would have, too, had it not been his last day at the school. There was no way he would get out of today without having to deal with emotional shit. He could feel the emotions that his teammates were feeling and it had only been five minutes. He dragged himself out of bed and pulled on something that was semi presentable. He was excited and at the same time he dreaded what was going to happen to his team when he left. They weren’t the best at communication or working together but they made it work when he was around. Someone else would have to take on the mantle of leadership. He hoped it worked out. It probably wouldn’t, though. 

 

It was too late for him to regret the decisions he’d made. He already had an apartment room rented and two job interviews to get him started. He could handle whatever the world threw at him. He didn’t have a tragic backstory and he wasn’t particularly interesting but being an empath would help him along in most, if not all, fields of work. He was sure that Burnie would strongly disapprove but it wasn’t like anyone could prove he was using his powers. He was very charismatic, after all.

 

By the time he entered the cafeteria it seemed like the entire student body was assembled. It wasn't a surprise either, but it stuck out to him today. Today they were there because he was leaving. They stopped their conversations the second he walked in and stared at him. He took in the decorations and festivities. Most were enjoying themselves. They were the ones he didn’t talk to. They were the ones who only knew him as the resident empath and the leader of the Achievement Hunters. They didn’t even bother to learn his name. They didn’t seem to care that he was leaving. He couldn't blame them.

 

But in stark contrast were the ones that _did_ know him. They were sitting, talking. Their faces betrayed the feelings that stewed inside all of them. It didn’t take an empath to know that. They were glad he was finding his own way in life. He would be his own person, grow and thrive and be anyone he wanted to be. But they were also sad. No, sad wasn’t an adequate word. Their limbs were heavy and it took too much energy to smile. They weren’t just sad, they were devastated. Especially his team. He winced, but he knew he couldn’t leave without saying goodbye. They would get over it soon enough. They always did. 

 

“Hey!” Michael shouted at him from the table that seated all five members of his team and the three honorary ones. They all had similar feelings thriving in their chests. They were sad he was leaving, they resented him just a little. How dare he leave them? They needed him. There was no way the team would make it on their own without him. But at the same time they were glad that he had the courage to leave the school in the first place. It wouldn’t do to have him shut away in a secluded mansion for the rest of his life. “Geoff, get over here.”

 

He smirked and walked over, sitting next to Ray who was as silent as ever. Even he cared, just a little. The one who was always apathetic during conversations seemed to be the one with the most resentment. He also thought he was an idiot to be leaving. “Hey dickheads. How’s the celebration going?”

 

“Shit,” Michael said in his usual straightforward way. “They’re acting like it’s a birthday or something. I don’t think half of them even care that you’re leaving. You probably didn’t mean much to them.”

 

“Yeah, I know. I can’t exactly make nice with all the students here. It may be a small student body but it’s still too many. I'm an empath, not a miracle worker.”

 

Gavin’s wings were bobbing and shifting constantly, betraying his feelings. He didn’t take strong emotions well, and it usually came through as physical motion in his wings. He was also constantly aware of it and it boosted the emotions tenfold, making them move even more. “Why are you even leaving? You could stay. No one is making you leave.”

 

“I’m leaving because I’m old enough to and I’ve been trapped in this school for the last seven years of my life. It’s time to move on.”

 

“Yeah but-“ Gavin tried to argue. He really didn't want Geoff to leave. He had become to dependent on him. That wasn't good for either of them.

 

“No, I’m going. Don’t dwell on it too much. It’ll be fine.” He smiled at them even though he didn't believe it in the slightest. 


	12. Your Actions Have Consequences, Some More Then Others

Their first training session after Geoff left was supposed to be easy. After a while it became routine and all the different simulations were memorized. It wasn't hard, especially when you would go to sleep at night with a sore body and stiff muscles as a motivator. Sometimes there would be holograms to add an element of surprise but most of the time it was mounted, low-pressure guns that really didn’t do anything but give people a nasty bruise. All the regular turrets and guns and such were in place. He knew where everything would be and how to deal with it, yet the team still struggled. Maybe he should have done more then fancy tricks in the air, but he just couldn't focus enough.

 

It was Burnie's idea in the first place, the teams. He believed that one of the most effective ways to help young mutants with their powers was to give them something to work on and someone to work with. They tended to respond better when they were surrounded by their peers and not the people that droned on and on in the classroom. It would help them with teamwork and it would give them a direct way to use and enhance their powers. He believed the more you worked on it, the more control you would have. Gavin wasn't too sure if he was right, but it helped him, even if it was just a little bit. His mutation was too solid for his theory to work effectively.

 

It had, however, worked well for Ryan. At first he hadn't believed the whole "energy construct" thing. That seemed to be something that he kept coming back to. He didn't think he belonged, but it was getting better. His powers were improving and he was learning more and more about them every day. Apparently they were restricted to being able to create things he had touched. But after a lot of trail and error he had found out that he couldn't just make anything. A phone, for example, had almost electrocuted him when he tried to make and then use one. It turned out for something more complex than a kitchen knife took some researching to create. 

 

What he was sure of, though, was that the teamwork was spot on. However, it only tended to work when the team leader stayed. When the leader left, it all turned to shit. He wasn't sure what it was, but loosing any member would probably have a similar effect. A leader only made it ten times worse. Everyone was in a team, but Achievement Hunter was the largest. They were usually teams of three, things that didn’t really need a leader but one of the members always stepped up and acted like it. A team with six (occasionally nine) people had to have a leader. Too bad the only person they all listened to had left. It had only been a day and their teamwork had already started to deteriorate.

 

They were in the Danger Room, doing their usual training simulation. It would have been easy, it should have been easy, had Geoff still been there. But without a grating voice constantly yelling and telling them what to do the training session was too quiet. He dodged any bullets and obstacles that came his way, but that was all he did. He didn't try to help his teammates because he didn't hear Geoff telling him to. He probably should have but it was hard to think in the heat of the moment. That was Geoff’s talent, always being aware of what was happening. Gavin's talent was using the wings he had and making sure his teammates didn't dive headfirst into any type of projectile. He wasn't so good at picking out the right time to execute such a plan, though.

 

The session didn't last very long, and thank God for that. From what Gavin could see half the room was melted from Michael's fires, some of the machines were smashed and disfigured thanks to Jack, Ryan had been dismantling them and studying them, probably hoping to one day be able to make them himself. Ray was just sitting in the corner. He didn't look like he cared enough. He could see Michael's face, though not clearly. He wasn't happy. Gavin gulped. There was no way they were getting out of this unscathed. 

 

The simulation was soon called and they were kicked out into the hallway so the cleanup crew could get to work. Out where they weren't in danger of getting blasted to pieces was where Michael, as Gavin had dreaded, blew up in their faces. "What the fuck was that? That should have been the easiest shit ever! Ryan," he pointed at the aforementioned mutant, "you should have been fighting, not doing one of your weird science experiments."

 

"Hey-" he tried to argue, but Michael cut him off. Ryan looked a bit put out, but that didn't stop Michael's tirade. 

 

"I don't want to hear it, Ryan. Jack was the only other one doing what he was supposed to. Ray, you didn't do shit, like, at all." Ray didn't look offended. He was even nodding a bit, muttering something like "I didn't want to do anything anyway. We suck without a leader." Gavin could tell where he was coming from. "And Gavin, you were on the defensive the whole time when you were supposed to be fighting." He looked about ready to burst into flames, but he suddenly stopped talking and let out a sigh. "Look, I know that Goeff leaving hurt all of us but we can't just get hung up on it. We have to move on. Geoff's not coming back, so you'll just have to deal with it."

 

"Michael-" Jack tried to interrupt. He looked like he was concerned for Michael and his whole team. It sounded a bit too much like how Geoff would respond for Gavin to be comfortable with it. 

 

"Fucking shut it, Pattillo. This isn't about me. It's about our inability to work together when Geoff's not there to tell us what to do and bitch at us when we don't do it."

 

"He has a point," Ryan cut in. "Maybe we just need a new leader."

 

"Why not Michael?" Gavin piped up. Everyone's eyes swung to him and they stared at him.

 

"No," Michael replied. "I'm not the leader type. I couldn't do it. Jack, on the other hand, is the only one who could do it. We'd have to listen to him, though. What do you guys say?"

 

They all mumbled the affirmative and just like that the mantle of leadership had been thrust onto Jack.

-.-

Truth be told he wasn't quite sure why they did what they did. It had something to do with making sure the world became what it should. What it should usually was left up to the boss to interpret. To do that, whatever it was, took force. That was what he thought the cells were for. Mutants were a huge powerhouse and the thing their leader fought for. She believed mutants were equal (read: better) to humans. Unfortunately she didn't believe that mutants would be treated as such when they became common knowledge. She was determined to ensure the future of mutant kind. Unfortunately that translated to keeping a bunch of them locked up. She had something about insubordination and if someone didn't do what she said it could go one of two ways: being locked up or being threatened if you were lucky. 

 

"So what'd he send back this time?" Miles asked, leaning over Kerry's shoulder and making an attempt to read what he was looking at. It was the most recent report that Jon had sent back. It was their job to read it and give any important information to Meg. Apparently she was too good to sit and read the in-depth reports, and holy shit were they in-depth. Jon tended to be a bit long winded in his reports. 

 

"Just more bio's and some more detailed descriptions of the school's layout." Kerry replied, scrolling down the message printed on the screen and scanning its contents. There was no way he was going to read it all. It would take way too long. "Oh! It says here they're going on a field trip. According to what Jon wrote it's because a student left and it affected most of the students in a very negative way."

 

"Where are they going?" Monty asked. He had been standing in the background for most of the conversation and Miles had forgotten that he was there. He jumped a bit when he spoke. 

 

“Um… it says they’re just… going into the city. That apparently constitutes a field trip.”

 

Miles shrugged. He’d heard of worse. “I mean it’s not like they get out often. Some of them have visual mutations, like that dragon guy. Speaking of that dragon guy, how are they going to manage to bring him along?”

 

Kerry groaned. Miles had a weird obsession for the “dragon guy.” He was the only student that he didn’t bother to learn the name of and yet he was the only one he ever talked about. Miles just thought it was interesting. Well, actually he thought it was cool, but he knew Kerry would just laugh if he used that terminology. “They have a few mutants with glamour powers. I’m sure they’ll be able to think of something.”

 

“Ok, so we don’t worry about that. What about us? Are _we_ going to do anything?”

 

Kerry looked at him like he’d grown a third head. “What _about_ us? I wasn’t aware that we had to do anything.”

 

“I mean Meg’s always looking for new mutants, right?”

 

“…yeah,” Kerry admitted.

 

“So why don’t we tell her that there’s going to be a ton of mutants in the city today and they’re all going to be spread out. That seems like an easy way to get more members if you ask me.”

 

“You know that almost none of them will go along with what we do, right?” Monty pointed out. He only shrugged. That just meant that they were going to need more room to hold the new mutants.

-.-

Apparently they needed a day out. Ray wasn’t sure what that meant but it apparently translated to a field trip. Well, it _was_ a school. A field trip was better than just sitting around, he supposed. The instructors probably thought that their team in particular needed it. It probably had something to do with Geoff leaving. Everything seemed to be about that. They were in a stuffy bus packed full of teenagers. Apparently a cramped bus was the best the school could do. “I don’t like the outside. It scares me.”

 

Michael glanced at him and made a noise that he wasn’t sure if he should interpret as a scoff or a laugh. “Shut up, Ray. You lived in the fucking street for fuck’s sake.” Ok, maybe it was a scoff. There was a while where no one said anything. The bus was unnaturally silent, though he could hear a few students whispering to each other. Unfortunately it didn’t take long for Michael to start talking again. “Why were you on the streets, anyways?”

 

He didn’t feel like answering completely so he just shrugged. It wasn't something he liked to talk about, though he had gotten over it years ago. “People don’t react well to things they don’t understand. Parents aren’t exempt from that.”

 

“Oh,” was the only thing he managed to say before the shitty bus that the school had somehow acquired stopped and the students started piling out. The city wasn’t much to gape at but it was leagues better than being stuck in a mansion that you were rarely allowed to leave. He could hear Gavin snapping pictures next to him. The voices had started to rise in volume and everyone was excited.

 

Burnie stepped in front of the group. "Alright, everyone stick together with your teams. You're allowed to go anywhere you want but be sure to get back before it gets too dark."


	13. Did You Really Think Everything Would Go According to Plan?

The day passed without any weird occurrences. It was a miracle in it of itself, really. It had been a long time since they'd had a regular day where they didn't have to worry about anything. The team went all over the city from parks to shopping centers. They had spent way too much time in the latter especially when you considered that they hadn't bought anything the whole time. They went to lunch and to an arcade at Ray’s urging. It was nice to get away from the stress of training and learning and dealing with the weird mutations that everyone had so it wasn’t weird but expected. All too soon it was over and they were walking back to the designated area for the students to meet up. The sun was setting, glancing off all the tall buildings covered in glass and the windows of the small shops that you only saw if you looked for them.

 

“I’m tiiiiired.” Ray groaned. Ryan rolled his eyes at the Puerto Rican. He had been complaining since he found out that they had to walk the whole time. He apparently thought they would be carted around with a personal chauffeur. He was dragging his feet and doing his best to look miserable. He was wearing sunglasses which had been weird at first but after Ryan had asked about them he’d said it helped tone down his mutation, especially in large crowds.

 

“Shut up, you prick.” Michael snapped back. He looked about as tired as Ray did but he was doing his best to disguise it. He didn't like showing any type of weekness. It was just something he did and Ryan had learned to get used to it. Though he didn't blame Michael at all, it had been a hard day, after all. No one on the team regretted it, though. They all looked like the day had been the best they'd had in a while. It had been fun and all thoughts of Geoff and the previous training session had been chased from all their minds. “We’re almost at the bus so stop complaining.”

 

“Um… guys?” Gavin said, but was thoroughly ignored. Ryan felt a little bad for Gavin. He was often ignored, thought it might have something to do with the fact that whenever he opened his mouth something stupid came out of it.

 

“At least your feet aren’t bleeding.”

 

“Ray, for fuck’s sakes, your feet are fine. You’re being a baby.”

 

“Guys, I think we might want to listen to Gavin.” Jack said, trying to get Ray and Michael to stop arguing. Ryan, who had been laughing silently at them yelling, finally looked to see what they were talking about. He wasn't sure what he was expecting but it certainly wasn't what he saw. What he saw was a disaster scene, with overturned tables and benches and a bus that looked like it had had a bomb dropped on it. There was a smell of charred metal and he could only wonder what had happened. Nothing good, that much was obvious. 

 

He knew he had to get Micheal and Ray to stop yelling at each other. Since the yelling hadn't worked he just reached over and clubbed them both on the back of the head. “Ryan what the fu-oh.” Everyone stopped talking and just stared in silence. There was tension in the air and a barely restrained panic. 

 

“What the fuck happened here?” Michael demanded. He was kicking through the rubble and looking concerned and angry at the same time. He was taking it the hardest, considering that he had lived at the school longer then any of them. Ryan didn’t know how to react, so he just stood there. Where was everyone? Why did it look like a warzone? Did something happen? Were they all dead? He shook his head to clear it from the barrage of thoughts that were swirling around in his head. If they were dead there would be bodies. That meant someone had tried to capture them and had succeeded. He didn’t know why or who but it was definitely the answer.

 

His thoughts flickered briefly to a dream he had had the night prior, about explosions and fighting and people being dragged away to be locked up in rooms without windows and a bare bulb flickering in the dark. It was like the time when Geoff had come to recruit him, how he had a dream the night before about everything that happened. Was it some weird mutation he wasn't aware of? Whatever it was he needed to give a voice to what he knew. “They were taken.”

 

Michael glanced at him. He didn't look like he believed him. Though there was a hope in his eyes that they weren't dead, though how much better being captured was he couldn't say. “How the fuck do you know, Ryan?”

 

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I just do.” He went over and crouched near a scorch on the ground. It was large and dark and it looked foreboding. As far as Ryan knew, Michael was the only mutant with the power to do something like that. “Do you know of any other students who could sear the ground?”

 

“Yeah, but none that came on the trip.”

 

“Well then, we’re going to need to get Geoff.”

 

They all stared at him. Obviously they didn't see the connection. They probably just thought he was crazy. Maybe they were right. He wasn't going to tell them that, though. They needed to get to Geoff and fast. Jack was the first one to grab him and steer him to the only standing bench. “Ryan, I think you need to sit down.”

 

“Dude, what the fuck? I’m not insane or whatever. Just trust me, alright?” He pushed Jack's hand off his shoulder. They stopped looking at him weirdly but they still looked ready to restrain him if he did something bizarre. He wouldn't but again, they didn't know that.“We need to get Geoff because he knows how to find Burnie and as far as I know he’s the only mutant that we know of with that type of power at the level we need.”

-.-

When he came to it was in a glaringly white room splayed out on a table. He sat up and glanced around, trying to figure out where the fuck he was and what the fuck happened. It didn't take long to recognize the med bay in the warehouse that should have been abandoned but had been taken over by an organization with questionable motives and goals. Jon swung his legs over the table and felt his bare feet hit freezing cold tile. It took him a moment to get his balance. Something was different. He took stock of himself only to realize that he was once again an adult. He wiggled his fingers and turned his arms over. Yep, he was definitely the age he should be once again. He almost cheered with joy before he realized something that made him stop.

 

If he was back to being an adult that meant his mission at the school was over. It also meant his usefulness was over.

 

“Ah, I see you’re awake.” Meg said, striding into the room. She looked the same as she had the first time they had met. The professional expression and attire she wore gave her the appearance of a well practiced businesswoman. She smiled at him before noticing the expression on his face. “Oh, come on. I’m not going to kill you or something. That would be ridiculous.”

 

He didn't quite believe that. His mind was still in a jumble. It probably had something to do with the sudden age shift. His thoughts kept shifting to the students and what could have happened to them. His imagination was not a place he wanted to stay so he pulled himself out and focused on himself. Instead of voicing the millions of questions that kept popping up in his head he just asked the one that he had been wondering since he woke up. “What happened?”

 

“Well, as you know you’ve been feeding us information on the academy and its students.” She stared at him pointedly and he took it as a cue to nod, so he did. She knew very well what had happened to the students and as far as Jon could tell they were still alive. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. “Well, we’ve simply put that information to work. You see, mutants are a huge powerhouse and if they won’t cooperate then more… drastic measures are necessary.”

 

He didn't feel like sugarcoating his reply. “So you kidnaped them.”

 

Her smile became strained. “I like to think of it as apprehension.”

 

“No, it’s fucking kidnapping. I don’t know if you realize this but they’re _teenagers._ They’ve been thrust into a world that they would rather have left buried and hidden. They don’t need people like you doing shit to them. They don’t need to be locked up or used. They just want to live their lives and the school was the only way they could do that.”

 

Meg finally dropped the smile. She looked like she would have punched him straight in the face. He honestly didn’t care enough. She wasn't in his good graces. He wasn't sure that she ever was. It was different from the first time they had met. He wondered what it was before realizing it was because he had formed an attachment to the academy and its students. “And you think that… _school_ isn’t a prison? They live a naïve life, not realizing how many of their kind dies in the streets every day because no one wanted them. I’m giving them a chance to save hundreds of lives and give theirs a chance to influence thousands of others.”

 

He could tell there was no getting through to her, but he might as well try. He got up and stared her straight in the eye. “Sounds more like imprisonment to me.”

 

It didn’t occur to him until later when he was sitting in a tiny room resembling a cell that it probably wasn’t the best idea to insult someone with that much power at her disposal.

-.-

It had worked out as he had planned, which was a surprise because nothing ever worked out as he planned. Getting the job wasn’t hard; in fact he got both of them. He had been guilty at first for using his powers but it was quickly chased away with the euphoria of actually getting the jobs. One was a part time at the local café and the other part time at the mercantile shop a few blocks away. It wasn’t hard work but it wasn’t easy either. His boss at the mercantile shop was a bit of a hard ass but he tried his best. He made Geoff work for the pay he was getting.

 

It was a regular day, though he was already running late. He had overslept and there was no way Gus was going to let him off the hook for it. He slipped on his shirt and pants and shoved his shoes on as fast as he could. In the small area that pretended to be a kitchen he popped bread in the toaster and waited. It had become his routine, though being rushed was a new occurrence. He almost dropped the cup of coffee he was drinking from when he heard someone knock on his door.

 

“I’m coming, you can stop!” He shouted when the tapping didn’t stop. There wasn’t much time to ponder who it could be or why they were knocking on his door before he swung it open and was greeted by five faces he hadn’t expected to see so soon. He almost didn't answer but the sound of the toaster finishing the toast broke him out of his trance long enough for him to try to form something similar to words. “Uh…”

 

Michael, never one for long silences, was the first to start talking. “So… we’re kinda fucked.”

 

He sighed and motioned them inside his apartment. So much for a new life. “I’ll call in sick, you guys just wait here.”


	14. Stealth Isn't Your Forte

The warehouse was deserted. Not what they expected, but what they got. According to Geoff it was the right place. The only reason Michael wasn't constantly asking if it was the right place was because if he squinted he could see people walking around in the shadows. It hadn’t been too hard to find the students after they had gotten Geoff to help them. It turned out that Ryan was right and that he _could_ use his powers to locate someone. Not only that but it was an excuse to team up with him again. Now it was only a matter of getting in and taking the students home.

 

People came and went, but overall the activity was minimal. They would be able to get in, that much was certain. Their plan made sure of that. Michael breathed in deeply. He knew he wouldn't get much time to talk once they were inside so he might as well get it out of the way. "So... rehash of the plan?"

 

Geoff looked at him in the "I've been doing this for way too long but I'll humor you" kind of way. "Sure, Michael." He stood with his back to the wall they were crowded behind and his arms crossed. He was handling this like he did it daily. He didn't look nervous at all. That, if nothing else, calmed his nerves. "You're going to be our distraction. Ray's going to get us past the security. Ryan's going to provide backup and take care of the more complex computer systems. Jack, you're going to break shit. Gavin, you're our eye in the sky. Make sure nobody gets in or out." He finished his presentation with a smirk and a flourishing hand motion. "And I'm the mastermind. Also cannon fodder that can kick some major ass."

 

Michael had to snicker at Geoff's antics. Man, he had missed them. It was weird like that. Normally he would have just rolled his eyes and waited for him to stop talking. Now, though, he just wanted him to ramble on and on, like he would do normally. When Geoff was talking it meant everyone was safe and there was no reason to worry.

 

"Alright," said Ryan, "is everyone ready?"

 

"Hell yeah!" Michael shouted, recognizing his cue. He was the best at distractions. The plan was to distract as many people as possible for as long as he could. He took a deep breath and activated his powers, bathing the alley in orange and red flames. He grinned and took off towards the warehouse. He was going to get the students back or burn down the entire block trying.

 

He saw Gavin wheeling around in the sky, watching everything that was going on. At least he didn't have to fight people. Then again, he wasn't the best at it. At least he could keep them away long enough. They noticed him quickly and Michael soon found himself surrounded by what he assumed was the warehouse's guards. They all looked like they meant business and weren't afraid to cause a little collateral damage if they needed to. Only a few of them had guns so it was reasonable to assume that they were all mutants. His grin only widened when he noticed three that he recognized. "Hey there Miles. What's up, Kerry? Long time no see, Monty."

 

Miles was the first to step forwards. He was decked out in his normal combat uniform but other then that they seemed a bit lax. There was only one of him so far so they apparently didn't view Michael as a threat. They would learn otherwise very soon. "What are you doing here, Michael?"

 

He feigned innocence. "Haven't you heard, Luna? You've got a few of my friends locked up in your funhouse."

 

"And... what? You want us to give them back?"

 

"That's the general idea, yeah."

 

"And you came alone." It wasn't a question. 

 

Michael only shrugged, trying to keep the grin off his face. "I'm not the best at planning. But I'm not dense and I can tell you're not going to just give the students back so..." He stopped talking and focused on his powers. It was a delicate thing, fire. Without someone to control it, it would either die out or consume everything. There wasn't room for finesse, but Michael managed. Since this wasn't the time for a candle to light a dark room he let out as much power as he could afford, bathing the area in fire.

 

He laughed when he saw most of the big bad security people run away. The former students were three of five people that hadn't run. The two others were a girl with red hair (not as impressive as Lindsay's, though) and a man who looked eerily familiar. Michael frowned when his fires were pushed to the side. That wasn't right. Apparently one of the mutants had powers similar to Jon's. The first time they had sparred together it had been a surprise, but he learned to deal with it. It took a lot of concentration on Jon's part. In fact, the guy that looked familiar looked like he was... oh. "Michael Jones, I presume?"

 

He settled into a defensive stance, ready to fight the obviously powerful mutant if he had to. At least he was partially familiar with Jon's fighting style. It wasn't the time to ask why he seemed much older or what he was doing with them. It didn't look like he wanted to be there so Michael would give him the benefit of the doubt. "Who's asking?"

 

"Oh, of course. Excuse me for not introducing myself. I am Meg Turney,  the owner if this establishment."

 

He assumed that he was supposed to be impressed. "Never heard of you." He said flatly.

 

"I wouldn't expect you to. Burnie keeps all his undesirable students under raps, after all." She wore a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Anyways, enough about me. I understand you're here for your friends?"

 

"I mean, I don't know half of them personally but yeah, I'd like them back."

 

She put on a face that screamed pity.  "Well I'm afraid I can't let you have them. Besides, you would make a marvelous addition to the staff here."

 

He figured he had kept them talking for long enough. "Yeah, and you need to learn what a distraction is."

 

"What?" she asked, her face actually portraying legitimate surprise. Michael's face broke into a smile and he signaled Gavin- who he really hoped was paying attention- to excite a pickup.

 

Thankfully he was paying attention because a moment later he felt a pair of arms loop under his own and with a few strong strokes of the tawny wings that grew from the Brit's back they were up in the air, far above the warehouse.

 

Gavin put him down behind a building a block away. "So how'd it go? Also, you're bloody heavy."

 

"Wow, you're polite." He said with as much sarcasm as he could muster. "And I think I gave Geoff and the others enough time to get a head start."

-.-

It hasn't been hard to get into the building once Michael drew all the guards away. It wasn't hard to find the cell block where the mutants were kept. It was another matter entirely whether or not they would be able to break them out and get them back home. They didn't have the time to let Ryan open the doors and at this point they probably already knew they were inside. Doing it subtlety was out of the question. "Hey, Jack."

 

"Yeah?"

 

"You think you could break a few doors for me?"

 

"Sure. Which ones?"

 

He looked at the blank iron doors carefully, trying to see if he could locate anyone specifically. He could sense fear and acceptance. There was some sadness and even more confusion. The mixture of strong emotions was all he could feel. His powers had led then this far. They would have to rely on luck now. "Try that one." He pointed to the door on the far left. It looked like it was offset a bit from the rest. It was as good a place as any to start.

 

A few bangs and crashes later the door was open. He could feel fear coming from whoever was inside but it was mostly just confusion. He stepped in first, signaling the rest of his team to stay back. The only resident of the cell was a girl with short blonde hair and tattoos not unlike his own decorating her arms. She had bright blue eyes that were clouded by months locked away in a tiny room. She was ridiculously pretty. He might even go so far as to say beautiful. Geoff found himself unable to speak for what seemed like an hour. "Uh... we're here to... rescue you?" Damn. He hadn't meant for it to end up as a question and he sure as hell hadn't planned on the multiple voice cracks.

 

The girl seemed amused at his nervousness and her time as a prisoner seemed to melt away in a second and she was just a nervous teenager. He could still see the scars that had been seared into her smile but he was helping her focus and feel happy for once. The toll it took on him to keep it that way was a secondary concern. "Oh. Thanks, I guess. I'm Griffon, by the way."

 

"G-Geoff."

 

He felt Ray nudge him in the side. "Dude, I get that she's kinda hot but we're trying to save a whole lotta people, in case you forgot."

 

"O-oh, yeah, right. Uh... Griffon... you want to, like... come along?"

 

She looked him dead in the eye. "Are you assuming that I would rather be a prisoner then go with you?"

 

"Well we aren't exactly the most trustworthy people-" Ryan piped up but was quickly shut up by Geoff's hand over his mouth.

 

"No, of course not. Jack!"

 

"Yeah?"

 

"Ready for the next door?"

 

"Sure."

-.-

At first she had been ecstatic at the opportunity to intern with a semi-well-known scientist. Dr. Castillo was known in some circles as an innovative man who wasn’t afraid to venture into unknown territories. Unfortunately, as she was quick to learn, he was just another crazy guy with too much funding and a functioning lab. Her first day had consisted of J.J. telling her to get him all sorts of things that she was fairly certain he just made up. There was no way headlight fluid was an actual thing.

 

He studied mutations, just not in a way most medical doctors would think of them. It wasn’t an irregular eye condition or a malignant tumor, no. His studies were about a mutation that depended on the presence of something he called the “x-gene.” She had tried to keep an open mind at first but that had quickly been thrown away after what J.J. started saying about them. He thought that the mutation would take the form of extraordinary powers, from self-teleportation to telepathy. By the end of the first week she would have been able to recite all his theories and experiments (not that she wanted to).

 

She had stopped calling him Dr. Castillo at the end of the second day. She wasn’t even sure if he had an actual doctorate. She would have left if the internship hadn’t been fulfilling the much needed college credit her education required. Only a few more months and she would be done with the eccentric scientist. For now she was stuck listening to him ramble on and on about the possibilities of mutants.

 

“KARA!” She sighed. It hadn’t even been fifteen minutes and he was already shouting at her. She had hoped she would have gotten a few minutes of peace but it seemed like J.J. wasn’t going to give her that.

 

“What?” She shouted back. Maybe he just wanted her to get something from the cabinet or just adjust something he was too lazy to do himself.

 

“Do you know where my beakers are?”

 

Kara rolled her eyes. “You mean the ones full of water colored with food dye?”

 

“No, I mean the ones… just answer the question.”

 

“Yeah, they’re where you always put them.” When he didn’t answer she marched into the lab and yanked the beakers out from the cabinet under the sink. She handed them to him and went over to her usual spot by the only computer in the room.

 

“Thanks.”

 

“Shut up.”

-.-

“All I’m saying is that mutations are more common than a lot of people think. I mean just look at Blaine Gibson.”

 

It was the end of the day and Kara was ready to leave. She had hoped that J.J. would just let her go without trying to start another conversation about mutants for the tenth time that day. Ha, no. “Yeah, but it just so happens that he was a result of an experiment. It wasn’t natural. And if you’re going to use that argument during your presentation think of something better.”

 

He looked a bit put out by that. “I guess you’re right.” He sat down on the bench that was right next to the front door. Kara had always wondered who had designed the lab and why they had felt compelled to put a bench right next to the door. She would also probably end up decking them because J.J.’s feet were blocking the exit. “Kara, I feel like I’ve hit a dead end.”

 

“I do too.”

 

He jumped up, waving his arms in front of her face. “I mean if I could just find a real life mutant that would fix everything. It would prove all my theories. People would stop calling me crazy.”

 

“Why don’t you just make something that can identify them then?” She said flippantly. She wasn’t really paying attention to his ramblings. Her mind was far away. At this point she honestly just wanted to go home.

 

“Hmm… you might be onto something, Kara.”


End file.
